Kevin Owens Should Introduce His Package Piledriver in WWE
Kevin Owens should really consider introducing his Package Piledriver to the WWE fans. During his time on the independent circuit as Kevin Steen, he showcased this devastating maneuver, along with the Steenalizer. Recently, he was suspended by SmackDown GM, Nick Aldis for hitting a rather very safe-looking Piledriver on Randy Orton in a rampage, but it could be hinting at a potential shift in how these moves are perceived in WWE today. The landscape of WWE keeps evolving, and Owens could lead the charge in bringing in this impactful finisher.
The Piledriver is a move with a storied history, but its ban in WWE stems from safety concerns. The last time the move was used on WWE TV was in 2013 on an episode of Monday Night Raw in a match between John Cena and CM Punk. The current era under Paul Levesque’s leadership has shown a willingness to re-examine previously banned moves, provided they can be executed safely. It is almost reminiscent of when Seth Rollins successfully reintroduced his Curb Stomp in 2018 after it was banned for three years. Demonstrating that moves can be reinstated when wrestlers prove they can use them responsibly. More recent examples include AJ Styles hitting Cody Rhodes with a Burning Hammer at this year's Backlash, and Rhodes hitting Logan Paul with a Vertabreaker at King and Queen of the Ring this year.
2024 has been the year of WWE and it seems they are embracing a more progressive attitude toward in-ring maneuvers, which could allow Owens to elevate his finishing move. The inclusion of piledriver variations, such as the Canadian Destroyer, indicates that the company is ready to take calculated risks with high-impact moves. Owens has been in WWE for well over a decade now, and he has been using the Pop-Up Powerbomb for his first few years in the company. He transitioned to using the Stunner instead, which he adopted from the man he main-evented WrestleMania 38 Night One against, WWE Hall of Famer, Steve Austin in his last match. He primarily did it because he believed there were too many Powerbomb finishers.
The Package Piledriver may honestly be quite the upgrade for Owens in his WWE career. While it may look very brutal, Owens is a 25-year veteran of professional wrestling, and if there is one person who can do a great-looking, but safe Piledriver, it's him. Owens is currently doing some of the best work of his career with these crash-outs and feeling betrayed by Cody and Orton. This story that they are telling with him is the perfect way to bring in this move to make it seem like he has fully lost it and he does not care about the safety of his peers anymore.
