WWE Backstage: 5 Takeaways from this week's episode (March 3rd, 2020)

#1 It's the Kevin Owens' Show

Kevin Owens made an instant name for himself by stepping up to John Ce

Back in May of 2015 when Elimination Chamber used to take place after WrestleMania, a particular NXT Champion named Kevin Owens made his WWE PPV debut against John Cena. Owens remembered that "one of the things that was so striking was that it was so sudden" because he "had just started in NXT and then going toe to toe with John Cena on RAW was pretty surreal."

The moment was special to Owens for many reasons including that he "was ready to hear his (Cena's) music and hear the crowd reaction to him (Cena) and show everyone why I should have been here before I was." While some of the WWE Universe follows NXT, some do not. Owens revealed that "a lot of the audience didn't really know me at the time but every time I did something that someone who looks like me doesn't normally do, they got on board."

Owens also recounted the fan reactions, claiming that after he defeated Cena "the faces of the fans around the ring, everyone was shocked but I wasn't." The win was also huge because "that night, I beat the franchise of WWE. That's huge. That's the kind of statement you want to make when you debut."