Kevin Owens is finally getting to pull a move WWE fans never thought they’d see again — and he’s not shy about how much it meant to him.
During a recent interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Owens opened up about WWE allowing him to bring back the nearly-banned piledriver. A move once only reserved for legends like The Undertaker, the piledriver was off-limits for years due to serious safety concerns. But now, Owens is changing that narrative.
“The package piledriver was something I’ve asked many times before, and it was always ‘No, not right now, not today, doesn’t work, can’t do it,’” Owens revealed. “Until eventually it was, ‘Yeah, okay, let’s do it.’”
Owens first hit the regular piledriver on Randy Orton in November 2024 on SmackDown, followed by a package piledriver to Cody Rhodes a month later during Saturday Night’s Main Event. But as Owens explained, even he knew his limits with Orton.
“I didn’t feel like hitting it on Randy was the best decision. I thought a normal piledriver was enough for Randy, because Randy is gigantic,” he admitted. “Quite frankly, I didn’t think I could get him up for the package piledriver.”
And in true Owens fashion, there was a personal motivator: beating Penta to the punch. The former AEW star made his WWE debut in January 2025 — and Owens wasn’t about to let him steal his thunder.
“I knew Penta was coming, and Penta was doing package piledriver and I was like, he better not get to do it before me, because I will lose my sht,”* Owens joked. “But it all worked out.”
Owens is currently sidelined due to injury and will miss WrestleMania 41, where he was previously expected to face Randy Orton. While fans are bummed about his absence, they now have something new to look forward to when he returns — Kevin Owens, piledriver unleashed.
Do you think WWE should allow more stars to use the piledriver again? Or is it a move best kept rare? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.