Kevin Owens finally explained why he returned to NXT after nearly seven years, and it came down to two pretty personal reasons. Owens wanted the chance to share the ring with the talent shaping WWE’s future, but he also admitted there was absolutely no way he was going to say no when Steve Corino personally asked him to be there.
Following the October 17 NXT live event in Gatineau, Quebec, Owens addressed the crowd and opened up about why he agreed to make the trip. He said getting to work with Tony D’Angelo, Kendal Grey and Shiloh Hill made the appearance especially appealing because he believes they’re already becoming an important part of WWE.
“With that said, another thing that helped me say yes when they asked if I wanted to be part of this show was knowing that I’d be able to share the ring with people that are shaping what WWE will be. These three — I just said the future, but quite frankly, I think you’re looking at the present. So, for that, Tony, Kendall, Shiloh, thank you.”
There was another reason Owens made the trip, and that one was much more personal. He revealed that veteran wrestler and WWE Performance Center coach Steve Corino was the person who asked him to appear, which pretty much made turning the invitation down impossible.
Owens certainly didn’t have an easy travel schedule leading into the show either. He revealed that he’d gone from Winnipeg to Sacramento before making the long trip back to Gatineau, all while dealing with issues involving his knee, neck and shoulder.
“But the person who asked me to be here — there was no way I would say no to, even though I had to fly to Winnipeg on Thursday, fly to Sacramento on Friday, and then fly all the way here. That’s a lot of travel for somebody with a bad knee, bad neck, bad shoulder.”
Owens then revealed that Corino was the man behind the request. The two have a relationship stretching all the way back to 2004, and Owens credited the former ECW star with taking him under his wing early in his wrestling career.
“But the guy who asked me is a legend named Steve Corino. Steve, I can genuinely say without a doubt, if you’re not familiar with his career, go back and watch — one of the greatest of all time. I met him in 2004, and he took me under his wing, and without him, I would not be standing here right now.”
Owens made sure Corino knew exactly how much that relationship still means to him. He also extended the same offer to the NXT roster, making it clear that he’s willing to help whenever they need him.
“So, Steve, I love you. Anytime you need anything, I’m here. Anytime you guys need anything, I’m here. I’m at the Performance Center.”
The Gatineau appearance marked Owens’ first time wrestling for NXT since TakeOver: WarGames in November 2019, when he was revealed as the surprise partner for Tommaso Ciampa’s team. Nearly seven years later, his latest return wasn’t about chasing an NXT title or starting another run with the brand.
Instead, Owens came back because he wanted to work with the wrestlers helping shape WWE’s next generation and because one of the people who helped shape his own career personally asked him to do it. Judging by his message afterwards, Corino won’t have much trouble getting Owens to answer the phone again.
What do you think about Kevin Owens revealing Steve Corino was a major reason behind his NXT return? Let us know in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
