Kevin Owens Is Better Off with WWE, CM Punk’s Next Move, More Quick Takes

Kevin Owens Is Better Off with WWE, CM Punk’s Next Move, More Quick Takes0 of 5

Kevin Owens’ long-term future is bound to be with WWE.Credit: WWE.com

Kevin Owens has been a hot topic of conversation among wrestling fans for the past week, and not only because he unsuccessfully challenged Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Bash in Berlin.

The former universal champion informed Rick Ucchino of Sports Illustrated ahead of the event that his current contract is set to expire soon, leaving fans ponder the possibility of him jumping to All Elite Wrestling.

Although his history with The Elite and other members of the roster is well-documented and he’d be welcomed with open arms, KO is better off staying with WWE at this juncture of his career.

CM Punk was also in action on Saturday’s show and emerged victorious in his heated Strap match with archrival Drew McIntyre. Despite the decisive nature of his win, all signs point to their feud not being over yet.

There’s only one match that makes sense for them to settle their score in come Bad Blood on October 5.

This installment of Quick Takes will discuss what’s next for Punk, which former WWE name is not needed in AEW, the World Heavyweight Championship finally feeling as important as the Undisputed WWE Championship, and more.

Kevin Owens Is Currently a Better Fit for WWE Than AEW1 of 5

In the final stretch of 2024, Kevin Owens finds himself in a spot similar to three years ago when his previous contract was on the verge of expiring. AEW seemed to be the most likely landing spot for him at the time, but re-signing with WWE proved to be the best career decision he could have made.

Between headlining WrestleMania 38 with the returning “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and winning the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship with Sami Zayn, he’s had an eventful run since 2021. Even now, he’s very much in the main event mix and is fresh off an excellent Undisputed WWE Championship clash with Cody Rhodes at Bash in Berlin.

As his latest contract comes due, sticking with WWE would be the better bet.

Financially, AEW would surely offer him a sweet deal and ensure he’s a weekly fixture on television. In WWE, it can be argued he has a limited ceiling considering he hasn’t held world title gold in almost eight years.

Despite that, he’s built enough equity with the WWE audience that there’s little reason for him to start from scratch elsewhere.

An eventual heel turn will give him plenty of fresh opponents to work with and new stories to tell, not to mention there’s a much smaller chance he’ll be lost in the shuffle in the Triple H-led regime.

Shane McMahon Is Not Needed in AEW2 of 5

Jon Moxley’s AEW return on the Aug. 28 edition of Dynamite marked the start of an intriguing new direction for his character.

His line to Tony Schiavone about how this isn’t “his” company anymore sparked immediate speculation from fans that Moxley could have been hinting at the potential introduction of Shane McMahon.

Whatever Moxley will be involved in going forward does not need McMahon. From an on-air standpoint, McMahon is not needed whatsoever.

A one-off appearance from the former WWE personality would create buzz, but only temporarily. His final few years in WWE as an on-screen character were largely abysmal and actively took away from the product.

In late July, WrestleTalk shared a photo of a meeting McMahon and AEW president Tony Khan had at an Arlington airport. It’s possible McMahon could bring value to the promotion with the many years of experience he has in business and behind the scenes, but a recurring role on the weekly shows would be a significant step in the wrong direction.

AEW’s recent attempts to create a main event heel faction in The Undisputed Kingdom and The Elite have fallen flat. Attempting another “power struggle” with McMahon in a position of prominence would send the message that AEW is focused more on the past than the future.

Above all else, association with any member of the McMahon family during the fallout of Vince McMahon’s sex trafficking scandal could do more harm than good for the reputation of WWE’s primary competitor.

World Heavyweight Title Is Officially on Same Level as WWE Title3 of 5

Roman Reigns essentially holding the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship hostage for a four-year stretch created the need for a second top title in 2023.

The unveiling of the World Heavyweight Championship on Raw that spring was met with critical acclaim from fans, but its booking out of the gate wasn’t ideal.

To the credit of the inaugural champ, Seth Rollins did what he could to bring as much prestige to the prize as possible. He was much more of a workhorse while champion than Reigns was during his final year, yet The Tribal Chief’s storylines as part of The Bloodline always took precedence and caused the world heavyweight title to pale in comparison.

Thankfully, that has changed since WrestleMania 40, and as of Bash in Berlin, both belts finally feel equally important and are on the same level.

Undisputed WWE champion Rhodes is clearly positioned as the face of the company, but that doesn’t make his reign any more of a priority than Gunther’s. In a short stretch of time, The Ring General has excelled in his role on Raw and closed out the latest premium live event with Randy Orton on as high of a note as Rhodes opened it with Kevin Owens.

It’s been many years since WWE last had two top titles for the men where one didn’t eclipse the other. Now the key is ensuring it stays that way.

Swerve Strickland Has Cemented His Star Status in AEW 4 of 5

The AEW audience was already buying into Swerve Strickland as a main event act coming into 2024, but his four-month run as AEW world champion simply confirmed it.

Whether it was his Match of the Year candidates with Will Ospreay and Bryan Danielson, his exceptional character work or his consistent crowd reactions, he surpassed every expectation. Going forward, there will be no denying his place among the elite at the top of the card.

In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that the lucrative deal Strickland signed just recently was believed by WWE to be “bad for the sport” as it’s “way over” what it would perceive the market value for him to be.

If true, it’s a ridiculous notion. Strickland has shined in his two-and-a-half years with AEW and has been much more successful than a majority of the former WWE Superstars who have made the move.

The main event scene is where he was always destined to be, regardless of the company. WWE dropped the ball big time by releasing him without seeing him for the megastar he could have been for the company.

However, their loss has been AEW’s gain. He’s earned every dime coming his way and then some for the potential he possesses and everything he’s accomplished to get to where he is.

Strickland is bound to be an even bigger star in the years to come.

CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre Inside Hell in a Cell at Bad Blood Is a Must5 of 5

Given the decisive fashion in which CM Punk defeated Drew McIntyre in their Strap match at Bash in Berlin, it would be logical to assume that they’ve wrapped up their rivalry, especially with Punk later announcing his intentions to chase championship gold.

For as long as their animosity for each other has lasted, it can’t end until they wage war inside Hell in a Cell at Bad Blood next month.

The returning pay-per-view will mark the 27-year anniversary since the inaugural installment, which also just so happened to host the first-ever Hell in a Cell match.

Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan would be an appropriate matchup to do inside the structure as well, but it would be a better blow-off for Punk and McIntyre considering how personal their program has gotten.

McIntyre stole the win at SummerSlam where Seth Rollins served as special guest referee, only for Punk to avenge that loss at Bash in Berlin. A rubber match should be in order with a stipulation befitting the feud.

Triple H has been wise to keep the Hell in a Cell gimmick special in the last two years. The last contest of its kind to be held was at WrestleMania 39 when Edge beat “The Demon” Finn Bálor.

The days of Hell in a Cell having its own event are long gone and thus this would be a worthy occasion to bring the bout back.

From there, both men can move on and transition into other storylines on Raw.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham “GSM” Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.