{"id":111979,"date":"2021-01-23T16:32:17","date_gmt":"2021-01-23T22:32:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=111979"},"modified":"2021-01-23T16:32:17","modified_gmt":"2021-01-23T22:32:17","slug":"reigns-o-meter-118-reigns-and-kevin-owens-collide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2021\/01\/23\/reigns-o-meter-118-reigns-and-kevin-owens-collide\/","title":{"rendered":"REIGNS-O-METER #118: Reigns and Kevin Owens collide"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-365971898\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p>Smackdown this week doesn\u2019t mess around when it comes to the feud between Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens. They\u2019re so determined and intensely focused on that feud that our main event is going to be Adam Pearce against Paul Heyman and Shinsuke Nakamura is nowhere to be seen.<\/p>\n<p>Smackdown opens with a recap of the previous few weeks, as per usual. I remember when people used to complain when Roman Reigns was in seven or eight segments a night, yet here we are, and it\u2019s glorious. There is some wonderful editing, connecting segments together in a way that makes it really obvious when the WWE are using 4K cameras.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a long, long recap. When you start with nothing new I have to wonder how many people have already turned it off before they\u2019ve really started.<\/p>\n<p>Roman Reigns comes down to the ring in the actual arena with Paul Heyman. Conspicuous by his absence is Jey Uso. The WWE pipes in \u201cyou suck\u201d chants. This is vital. If there are going to be fans in attendance at WrestleMania then the WWE needs to start training them now because I\u2019ll tell you one thing, nobody wants to boo Roman right now. He\u2019s a legit badass and his sneaker game is on point.<\/p>\n<p>Did I say it right? I promise I\u2019m down with the kids.<\/p>\n<p>There are other things making it difficult to boo Roman right now. Firstly, he\u2019s not entirely wrong in a lot of his complaints. He has been carrying the company for years. Kevin Owens has been getting chance after chance after chance. Adam Pearce had the chance to give him some new opponents but he didn\u2019t take that option.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Paul Heyman lays down challenge for Adam Pearce: SmackDown, Jan. 22, 2021\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Mi5yesSfoJc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Now, I\u2019m not the biggest Roman Reigns fan in the world. Especially if you ignore the fact that I literally write a weekly column in his honor, or how I\u2019ve been one of his biggest cheerleaders for about five years. If you just ignore that you\u2019ll see that I\u2019m not his biggest fan. That said, the man is in serious danger of going on the biggest face run of his career by being such a damn good heel.<\/p>\n<p>The WWE have a problem on their hands, they just haven\u2019t realized it yet.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3092017925\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>One quick aside, though. Is a verbal agreement actually legally binding in Florida? If that\u2019s true I technically own a small Mexican restaurant just south of Jacksonville.<\/p>\n<p>We end up with a main event of Heyman vs Pearce. This can&#8217;t possibly happen. Card subject to change.<\/p>\n<p>A word on Adam Pearce before we continue. His role as an authority figure has been played perfectly. A large part of that is his seeming reluctance to be in the role. Given that he\u2019s been desperately trying to explain nonsensical storylines on Twitter far better than anyone else in WWE seems willing to do, that reluctance just seems so real.<\/p>\n<p>Also in danger of accidentally going face is Sami Zayn. Literally everything he says is demonstrably correct. He\u2019s not a conspiracy theorist; he\u2019s woke. Again, I am so totally down with the kids.<\/p>\n<p>Heyman and Reigns try to convince us all that the card won\u2019t change in the main event in a backstage segment sandwiched pleasantly in the middle of the show. I\u2019m not convinced. Are you convinced? I know Roman Reigns doesn\u2019t wrestle on Smackdown but methinks this one might be a slightly different situation. Michael Cole refers to the match up as the scrap daddy vs the big daddy and I reached a hitherto unknown level of painful cringe.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Kevin Owens delivers impassioned message for Roman Reigns: SmackDown, Jan. 22, 2021\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/a4RAgXsEdZw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Kevin Owens films a selfie video in his car hyping up their Royal Rumble match, and explaining that he isn\u2019t allowed into the building. What Kevin Owens says is also true. At no point has Roman Reigns beaten him fairly. There has always been a Jey Uso. In future there may also be a Jimmy Uso. Owen talks about his family and his grandfathers. He has tattoos on his knuckles, meaning that whenever he throws a punch, they hit you too. I respect that ingenuity.<\/p>\n<p>Our main event starts with yet another recap. Adam Pearce comes down to the ring looking ready. He\u2019s shirtless and his wrists are taped and he\u2019s good to go. Paul Heyman comes down with that Austin swagger, taping his fists as he does. Heyman feigns an injury, which Pearce absolutely should have seen coming. Naturally, Reigns replaces Paul Heyman.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Adam Pearce vs. Paul Heyman: SmackDown, Jan. 22, 2021\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/P49oKwoZGWw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>No bell rings, so we can technically call this Roman Reigns still not wrestling on Smackdown. Pearce takes a superman punch immediately but attempts to fight back until Roman delivers a low blow and goes out into the ThunderDome. It\u2019s at this point that help is on the way because Kevin Owens arrives to pick a fight with Roman.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2152502021\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>As good as Smackdown has been recently, I don\u2019t think we can debate the point that it\u2019s been quite repetitive. We\u2019ve ended so many shows with Owens and Reigns scrapping at ringside. We\u2019ve started so many shows with the Roman Reigns promo.<\/p>\n<p>This feud has been great but it is definitely time to move on to something new.<\/p>\n<p>Not Goldberg.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK&#8217;S REIGNS-O-METER:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2021\/01\/16\/reigns-o-meter-117-roman-corners-himself-over-royal-rumble-opponent\/\">REIGNS-O-METER #117: Roman corners himself over Royal Rumble opponent<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-2235835273\"><div id=\"pwtor-2049124359\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Smackdown this week doesn\u2019t mess around when it comes to the feud between Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens. They\u2019re so determined and intensely focused on that feud that our main event is going to be <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2021\/01\/23\/reigns-o-meter-118-reigns-and-kevin-owens-collide\/\" title=\"REIGNS-O-METER #118: Reigns and Kevin Owens collide\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":105042,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,4585,27],"tags":[74,72,71,117],"class_list":["post-111979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-reigns-o-meter","category-specialists","tag-roman-reigns","tag-smackdown","tag-wwe","tag-wwe-smackdown"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2020\/09\/reignsheyman-2.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111979"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":111983,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111979\/revisions\/111983"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105042"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}