The WWE's resident prize fighter has been wreaking havoc on the main roster for a full year.
Kevin Owens celebrated his one-year anniversary on the main roster Wednesday, and what a year it was. The former NXT Champion has already had some riveting rivalries and Match of the Year candidates throughout his brief WWE career.
Owens took to Twitter to commemorate his anniversary with the WWE as he prepares for a Fatal 4 Way Match at Extreme Rules this Sunday in New Jersey with WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz, Cesaro and Sami Zayn.
One year ago today, I showed up on Raw for the first time. Year 1 was pretty successful.
Let's see how I can make year 2 even better...@WWE— Kevin Owens (@FightOwensFight) May 18, 2016
In honor of one year of Owens, here are our five best moments in the French-Canadian's WWE career.
5) Rivalry Rekindled
One of the best feuds in NXT was between Owens and Zayn and that feud intensified when the latter made his main roster debut as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble Match. Zayn and Owens went at it tooth and nail, and it was Zayn who got the better of his rival, eliminating him from the match. These Superstars have since continued their storied rivalry, which will continue Sunday.
4) KO Mania
What's a first year on the main roster without a WrestleMania debut? Owens made his first appearance at the WWE's marquee event in memorable fashion, defending his Intercontinental Championship against six other men at WrestleMania 32 in April. Though he didn't win the match, Owens was an integral part of it and took part in some amazing spots in the bout, which was won by Zack Ryder.
3) Match of the Year?
The Last Man Standing Match between Owens and Dean Ambrose remains a 2016 Match of the Year candidate as they stole the show at the Royal Rumble. These two men beat the hell out of each other for over 20 minutes much to the delight of the crowd and embraced the stipulation. Though sometimes these types of matches can be boring, Owens and Ambrose kept it fresh with tremendous spot after tremendous spot. In the end, Ambrose stood tall to retain the gold.
4) Winning The Prize
Owens received his first taste of WWE gold on the main roster when he captured the Intercontinental Championship from Ryback. The WWE's prize fighter secured his first major prize at Night of Champions in September and held it for 84 days before dropping it to Dean Ambrose in December. He then earned a second run with the gold by knocking off "The Lunatic Fringe" on "RAW" in February, holding it for 48 days before dropping it at WrestleMania.
5) Cena 'Nuff
You never forget a first impression, and Owens' initial impact on the WWE's main roster will live on in infamy. After shockingly answering then-United States Champion John Cena's open challenge on "RAW" back in May 2015, Owens didn't accept the challenge, but rather put forth a beat down on the face of the WWE. This led to a non-title match at Elimination Chamber, which Owens won, scoring one of the biggest victories of his career. Though he lost the two subsequent rematches to the "Cenation" leader, Owens can always say he beat the 15-time World Heavyweight Champion in his first high-profile match. That win was amazing and cemented Owens as a huge threat in the WWE while ushering in his memorable first year with the company.
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