5 former rivals of Kevin Owens who are now in AEW

Kevin Owens' contract with WWE is set to expire in early 2025. As expected, AEW is eager to offer The Prizefighter a lucrative deal once his current WWE run comes to an end.

The Jacksonville-based promotion missed out on signing the former WWE Universal Champion in early 2022. Tony Khan has reportedly been interested in signing Owens for a very long time and would hope to strike a deal with Mr. Wrestling at all costs.

While The Prizefighter would be a valuable addition to AEW's quality roster, some specific individuals might not be too happy about having the daredevil star around.

Many top stars in the Tony Khan-led company would be eager to settle some unfinished business with the former NXT Champion.

In this article, let's look at five famous rivals of Kevin Owens who are currently part of All Elite Wrestling:

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#5. Malakai Black has had issues with Kevin Owens in the past

Kevin Owens' issues with Malakai Black (FKA Aleister Black) began in August 2020, when the latter attacked The Prizefighter on the KO show. The seven-week feud saw Black constantly targeting the former WWE Universal Champion on a regular basis.

The two stars proceeded to have three matches against each other, all of which were won by Kevin Owens. Despite embracing his ruthless side, The Dutch Destroyer seemed to be no match for The Anti-Christ of Pro Wrestling.

Although Owens suffered significant punishment at the hands of Black, he always left with victory every time he battled The Striking Man from Amsterdam in the squared circle.

The hard-hitting rivalry finally culminated in October 2022, when Owens bested The Dutch Destroyer in a violent No Disqualification Match.

Malakai Black would have a score to settle with Kevin Owens if the latter decides to show up in AEW. A move to All Elite Wrestling is bound to put The Prizefighter on the target of the House of Black.

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#4. Samoa Joe and Kevin Owens battled each other in NXT

Samoa Joe and Kevin Owens are no strangers to each other. The two veterans battled each other on the independent circuit early in their careers before eventually reigniting their rivalry in WWE NXT.

In May 2015, The Destroyer made his official NXT debut by confronting Mr. Wrestling at NXT Takeover: Unstoppable. A few weeks later, the NXT General Manager took the charge to announce a non-title match between Joe and Owens.

The stars finally locked horns in June 2015, hoping to inflict significant damage on each other. Unfortunately, the contest soon turned into an all-out brawl, forcing the referee to call for the bell.

A few years later, The Samoan Submission Machine went to war with The Prizefighter yet again on WWE SmackDown. The stars were on Samoa Joe's side this time around, as he managed to defeat Kevin Owens in this contest, courtesy of the Special Enforcer, Elias.

While they did not get to have a full-fledged rivalry in WWE, Joe and Owens could get the opportunity to tear each other apart in AEW.

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#3. Jon Moxley had a memorable feud against the former WWE Universal Champion

Jon Moxley (FKA Dean Ambrose) is one of the greatest opponents that Kevin Owens has ever gone to war with. Known for his unhinged mannerisms, The Deathrider pushed The Prizefighter to his limits every time the two locked horns in the squared circle.

The two world-class performers had several memorable clashes during their feud in 2015-16. At TLC 2015, The Purveyor of Violence ended Owens' reign to become the new Intercontinental Champion.

Moxley and Owens collided yet again at Royal Rumble 2016 in a Last Man Standing Match. The contest turned out to be a violent masterpiece, as the two opponents crossed all limits in destroying each other.

Ultimately, it was The Purveyor of Violence who escaped with the win in this contest. As The Prizefighter tried to climb the top turnbuckle, Jon Moxley immediately pushed his opponent to send the 40-year-old star crashing into multiple tables outside the ring.

The strategic shove did the job for The Deathrider, as a lifeless Kevin Owens failed to get up before the 10 count.

Jon Moxley is arguably the biggest heel in AEW at the moment. The former WWE Champion has formed a new faction, which intends to destroy all the babyfaces in its path. However, Moxley might have massive trouble to deal with if Kevin Owens decides to join All Elite Wrestling in early 2025.

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#2. Eddie Kingston vs. Kevin Owens has taken place in the past

Kevin Owens and Eddie Kingston are regarded as two of the toughest in-ring competitors of the modern era of pro wrestling. The two individuals are renowned for their fighting spirit and resilient attitude.

Interestingly, Owens and Kingston have crossed paths with each other in the past. In August 2012, The Prizefighter battled The Mad King in an Anything Goes Match for the ROH World Championship.

The match began at a very slow pace. The stars immediately exited the ring to look for weapons, intending to inflict maximum damage on each other.

The Anti-Christ of Pro Wrestling got the upper hand on The Mad King in the early moments of the match. Owens Powerbombed the former ROH World Champion onto a table placed outside the ring, which resulted in Eddie Kingston getting stretchered out of the arena.

Eddie eventually returned to the ring to punish Kevin Owens with his lethal strikes. The two stars used many creative ways to hurt each other throughout this contest.

In the end, Owens planted The Mad King with a Spinning Fireman's Facebuster onto two steel chairs to pick up the victory. Although The Prizefighter bested The War King in ROH, the odds would be in Eddie Kingston's favor if the two rivals ever collide in AEW.

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#1. The Prizefighter's issues with Chris Jericho are well documented

When we talk about Kevin Owens' most iconic rivals, Chris Jericho's name is bound to come up. The two Canadian frenemies were the highlight of WWE RAW in 2016-17, courtesy of their remarkable chemistry.

The summer of 2016 saw KO develop a wholesome friendship with Chris Jericho. Y2J proved to be a loyal ally to the SmackDown Superstar, as he helped Owens remain the Universal Champion for a very long time.

Kevin Owens, however, was bothered about Jericho stealing his spotlight on RAW. In February 2017, The Prizefighter turned his back on The Learning Tree by destroying the 53-year-old star on the red brand.

Following months of verbal altercations, Owens and Jericho clashed for the WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania 33. After a hard-fought battle, The Prizefighter decimated his former friend to leave The Show of Shows as the new champion.

At Payback 2017, Jericho shocked the world by recapturing the United States Title. However, the current AEW star only held the title for a few days before eventually dropping it to Owens on SmackDown.

The Learning Tree will be infuriated if Kevin Owens ends up joining All Elite Wrestling next year. Jericho would not have forgotten Mr. Wrestling's shocking betrayal, which led to the demise of one of the greatest bromances in wrestling history.