WWE Superstar Kevin Owens spoke to reporters in an international teleconference on Monday to promote SummerSlam, the WWE’s next big event, coming up on August 21 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The Canadian, who is a two-time Intercontinental champion, had a lot to talk about, on a number of subjects, including the visit to the UAE in April for the WWE Live Dune Bash tour and here are some of the highlights.
Memories of touring Dubai and the UAE in April
“Touring is pretty interesting and seeing places I never thought I would get to go to. Dubai is a good example. I never thought I would go to Dubai and I never thought I would visit the Burj Khalifa and get to see that but I did and it was very enjoyable and a lot of fun. It is always nice when you go to the international tours to see how excited people are. In America I guess everyone is used to having us around so they are always very excited. If it is Europe, Australia, Japan or Dubai people are excited to have us there and it always makes for a great show.”
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On whether he thinks the brand split between Raw and SmackDown is a good thing or not?
Owens is now on Raw and he said: “Probably the fact now that some wrestlers won’t face each other for a while is the main thing, and that is good.
“I wrestled Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler (both of who are now on SmackDown), just to name those two guys, 20 times over the past few months. I always enjoy getting in the ring with both those guys and we always put on really good matches but it is good to have new challenges, new opponents and fresh matches.
“I think as a fan, and that is one thing I would say I still am because I watch every Raw and everything else still, that makes me excited because I am going to see different guys on different shows and different matches that I haven’t seen before or haven’t necessarily seen in a long time.
“But then a year or two down the line some people from Raw are going to end up on SmackDown, some people from SmackDown are going to end up on Raw and some people from NXT are going to end up on Raw and SmackDown. Things are going to keep rotating.
“I might end up in the ring with Ambrose again. It might be two years down the line, but we have both grown as performers and grown as individuals and it is a different match.”
On whether his feud with Sami Zayn will continue
“I’m sure that battle wasn’t our last match in the grand scheme of things but it may have been our last one for a little while but I am sure we will share the same ring at some point.”
On a challenge for Mick Foley
A lot of people compare me to Mick Foley in a lot of ways. We have similar body types and when I was on the independent scene I would do a lot of crazy stuff that people would relate to Mick Foley’s career because of a lot of the crazy stuff he has done. I always took that as a compliment and now I get to share with him basically, Raw, and I think that is going to make for some very interesting television. I don’t know if I am going to able to take much from him in terms of advice or anything like that but I am looking forward to our verbal jousts as unfortunately we will never be able to get in the ring together because I don’t think he’d be able to walk out. I guess in a way it is a challenge so if Mick hears this and he is up for it and up to proving me wrong I am all for it.”
On who has helped him in the WWE locker room
“I found a lot help from John Cena and Randy Orton just from observing them. I am pretty confident with how I do things in the ring, but as far as to how you carry yourself as a WWE Superstar I think I have looked at how they do things and I guess I have taken from them how, as a general rule of thumb, to be outside the ring as they have been here a long time and obviously are good examples. They are good representatives of the company and that is who I have taken from.”
Aiming to be a main eventer
“I am definitely ready for a main event. Actually I am very conscious of the fact I am yet to main event a pay-per-view and I am not going to lie when I say that bothers me and I am going to do everything I can to make sure that happens this year.”
On who the biggest influences in wrestling on his career have been
My biggest influences would have to be Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and Steve Corino from ECW back in the day.
I met Steve Austin at an airport in 2005 and he gave me the best advice I could have ever received and helped get me to where I am today.
Signing with the WWE I got to meet Shawn Michaels, he was my first favourite wrestler and the reason I wanted to be a wrestler after watching one of his matches.
To sit around and watch wrestling with him and discuss how things work and his philosophy on things has been incredibly value to what I do.”
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