4 reasons why Elias defeated Kevin Owens to progress in the King of the Ring tournament

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WWE announced the King of the Ring tournament and revealed that sixteen Superstars from the company's two main brands would be a part of it.

Soon after, the bracket for the tournament was also revealed, and it was interesting to see how one of the round matches involved Elias and Kevin Owens. The two men have partnered and feuded in the past, and currently, Elias is in Shane McMahon's good books while Owens is on the opposite end.

This led to Shane distracting Owens during their clash on SmackDown this week, and Elias managed to pick up a victory over Owens to progress in the tournament.

While many Kevin Owens fans would be heartbroken to see that their favorite is out of the tournament, we believe it was the right call to make.

In this article, we look at 4 reasons why Elias defeated Kevin Owens in the King of the Ring first-round match.

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#1 To give Elias a much-needed in-ring push

Elias has been more successful on the mic than in the ring

Elias has been a part of the main roster for over a year now and fans have been waiting for his push for a long time. With the physique and wrestling skills he possesses, one would have expected him to at least have a short mid-card title run by now.

However, the only title Elias has managed to win has been the 24/7 Championship. Apart from that, he is just an entertainer who does more on the mic than in the ring and plays a decent heel sidekick.

Elias' last singles victory had come in June this year and he has lost to The Miz, Kevin Owens, and Ricochet since. His overall win record hasn't been too impressive, which has kept fans wondering why he's one of the top guys while so many others are still waiting for their chance.

Getting a victory over Kevin Owens in such a big tournament will surely boost his status as well as result in a long term gradual push which could establish him as a threatening in-ring competitor.

#2 To give newer wrestlers a shot at the title

Andrade and Ali are two men who are favorites to win the tournament

Historically we have seen many well-established superstars win the King of the Ring tournament and use the title to great effect in their future work. While it makes sense to have old-timers win the tournament, the title can also help newer superstars.

In this year's tournament, we can see that WWE has added a lot of newer superstars in the mix to make it more interesting, as the established ones are already busy with other feuds.

Cedric Alexander, Ali, and Buddy Murphy are all recent 205 Live exports, while Elias, Andrade, Ricochet, and Apollo are also new to the mix. This provides an opportunity for younger superstars who haven't won any previous major championships to become the King of the Ring and get future opportunities.

With Kevin Owens out of the mix, we now have one less old-timer like Cesaro hunting for the crown.

#3 Kevin Owens doesn't need the title

The former Universal Champion deserves to win bigger titles than the King of the Ring

Think about it, does Kevin Owens need to prove that he is the King of the Ring at this point in his career? This is similar to Seth Rollins, Shawn Michaels, Daniel Bryan, and Ric Flair competing for the World Cup to be labeled The Best in the World.

Owens is a former Universal Champion, as well as multiple time Intercontinental and US Champion. This is a testament to the fact that he is indeed one of the best wrestlers to walk the ring in WWE today.

With that said, WWE would be more focused on building a stronger character for Owens rather than have him get busy in the tournament for the next few weeks. Will his loss to Elias be the tipping point?

On the other hand, a newer heel could do much better with the King of the Ring title at this point, with two babyfaces holding the top two men's championships.

#4 To make Owens the man who ends Shane's current reign of terror

Owens could end this injustice for good

Kevin Owens voicing his anger and feelings towards Shane McMahon landed the Prizefighter in hot water. After Shane McMahon's lengthy feuds with The Miz and Roman Reigns, Owens became the target of Shane's unfairness.

Shane and Owens have gone at each other non-stop, and it seems it won't end anytime soon. WWE would want to find the tipping point which will play out in favor of a superstar, ending Shane's reign of terror, and Owens seems to be the right choice.

Shane helped Elias progress in the King of the Ring tournament, and Owens could return next week to challenge Shane once again for one last time, this time asking him to retire if he loses.

As Owens' career was on the line at SummerSlam, we could witness Shane putting his career on the line at Clash of Champions or later, which could mark the end of his heelish reign.

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