Kevin Owens has always been great at developing a character, but inside the ring, he backs up all the trash-talking that he does. KO can work violently when needed, while he also tells a great story overall in his matches. Whether it is being technical, or showcasing his more athletic side, Owens is a great talent.
Throughout his career, he has had some tremendous clashes. From main eventing PPVs in grudge matches or fighting for titles, Owens has done it all within his time in wrestling. Some matches will have gone down in history, and CageMatch.net has rated his 10 greatest.
10 Kevin Steen & Steve Corino vs. El Generico & Colt Cabana (ROH Bitter Friends, Stiffer Enemies 2, 2010) - 9.04
Kevin Steen has always worked best when being able to show the aggressive side of his character, and that was on display here. This was a street fight, and the two tag teams wasted no time in getting down to business. The violent nature of this one is truly what made it great.
Of course, there was blood, and Steen and El Generico were able to have plenty of interactions against each other, which is something that drove the match and the story arch throughout it.
9 Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro vs. The Miz vs. Sami Zayn (Extreme Rules, 2019) - 9.08
Fatal four-way matches are not easy to get right. There are always too many moving parts, giving wrestlers long periods just sitting on the sidelines. But that wasn't the case in this one, as there was consistent action taking place, with all four men looking fantastic.
There were some incredible exchanges, with wrestlers breaking up different pinfalls in a unique manner, with some terrific double teams happening as well. It was filled with near falls, and for a mid-card match, they stole the show.
8 Kevin Steen vs. eXeSs 69 vs. El Generico vs. Sexxxy Eddy (CZW High Stakes II: Night Show) - 9.10
This is the type of match that a lot of fans may not have witnessed, as it was quite early on in Kevin Steen's career. However, even at this stage he and El Generico were putting together great clashes. Adding in other wrestlers is something that only helped their rivalry.
This match had been filled with brilliant moments, putting together a lof moves, which was the main focus. It was all about what happened inside the ring, rather than too much storytelling and psychology.
7 Kevin Steen vs. El Generico (PWG Battle Of Los Angeles, 2011) - 9.21
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The Battle Of Los Angeles always leads to great matches, as the weekend is stacked with fantastic workers. PWG knew what they were doing by putting Kevin Steen and El Generico together, and it led to a brilliant encounter that was heavily focused on their in-ring work.
It wasn't just about their history over the years. It was two men desperate to secure a victory, throwing everything at each other from start to finish, with the classic BOLA crowd eating it all up.
6 Kevin Steen & Akira Tozawa vs. El Generico & Ricochet (PWG All Star Weekend 8, 2011) - 9.25
Akira Tozawa and Ricochet may not have always been booked brilliantly in WWE, but they are two amazing wrestlers. Putting them together to be involved in the rivalry between Kevin Steen and El Generico was a smart move, simply because it added a different style to the mix.
The match has the usual quality from Steen and Generico. But with the high-flying antics of their partners, this ended up being a thrilling tag team encounter that entertained the audience.
5 Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn (Battleground, 2016) - 9.30
The Battleground match between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn was something that their long-term fans were expecting in terms of quality. However, for the mainstream WWE audience, this was a great example of how brilliant the two men are, and the connection that they have as wrestlers.
Seeing them brawling with back and forth punches to set the fans off in this one, while they put together some tremendous moments of wrestling. There were great bumps, terrific reversals, and good near falls that kept fans hooked throughout.
4 Kevin Steen vs. El Generico (PWG Steen Wolf, 2011) - 9.33
Kevin Steen and El Generico always worked well when they were put into a stipulation encounter. That was the case here, where they brought plenty of hard-hitting action that fans were able to buy into throughout. Audiences could get interested in everything that was going on from start to finish.
Seeing how they utilized the ladder was the real joy in this one. They both took some major bumps here to get over with the crowd, and it led to a truly fantastic match overall.
3 Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. The Briscoes (ROH Man Up, 2007) - 9.37
Ladder war matches are always incredible ones, with wrestlers typically taking the creativity to another level within these matches. That was the case here, as all four men pulled out all the stops to ensure that this was a classic nobody would forget about.
They were four of the biggest stars on the independent scene at this point, and it is clear to see why within this encounter. All of them brought something different to the ring here, and while they could put the technical pieces together, they were also able to fight, which was great.
2 Kevin Steen vs. El Generico (ROH Final Battle, 2010) - 9.45
Final Battle is always an important event for Ring Of Honor, and the 2010 event was one of the best the company ever did. The match between Kevin Steen and El Generico was a big part of that. They tapped into their history, bringing in violence, while also putting together some engaging wrestling.
The two of them have always had classics, but this one is regarded by the fans to be their greatest contest to this point, and it is easy to see why. There is something for every type of fan in this one, which is what makes it so engaging.
1 Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. The Briscoes (ROH Death Before Dishonor V) - 9.45
This was a busy night for Kevin Steen, as he competed in two matches consecutively. Both he and El Generico faced a Briscoe brother in singles action, and that then led to an impromptu tag team encounter, where a street fight stipulation was added.
Because they'd all already competed, there was plenty of selling and story that was easy for the wrestlers to add to this one. A violent match played into the hands of The Briscoes as well, which is why they were all able to put on a clinic.