Kevin Owens pitches historical final match for John Cena's retirement tour - as he reflects on 10 years with WWE ahead of Bash in Berlin

EXCLUSIVE Kevin Owens pitches historical final match for John Cena's retirement tour - as he reflects on 10 years with WWE ahead of Bash in Berlin By Lewis Browning Published: 03:30 EDT, 31 August 2024 | Updated: 03:30 EDT, 31 August 2024 e-mail View comments A little under a decade ago, WWE star Kevin Owens burst onto the main roster in WWE as one of the hottest prospects from NXT, grabbing the bull by the horns and making his mark. In May 2015, following a number of months in the company's development brand, he was called up to the main roster – by John Cena , he exclusively tells Mail Sport – attacked the now-16-time world champion and established himself as one of the biggest heels in the business. He would go onto face Cena at Elimination Chamber and win cleanly, launching himself into stardom and setting up his career in the company.

Going into WWE's Bash in Berlin premium live event (PLE) this Saturday, Owens is, at least for now, a good guy, with those events a decade on living long in the memory of wrestling fans. A good guy too is Cena – who is about to retire. In 2025, he's embarking on a retirement tour, and Owens wants a bit of it.



'Funnily enough – I'm going to put it out there now,' Owens begins, speaking exclusively to Mail Sport from his car. 'I've noticed that May 31 2025 - which would be the 10th anniversary of our first match together at Elimination Chamber - is a Saturday night, which lends itself incredibly well to WWE events, and maybe even a PLE. Who knows? Kevin Owens (pictured) has pitched a historical final match for John Cena's retirement tour Cena (pictured) will be performing a number of dates next year as he brings his WWE in-ring career to a close Cena helped Owens' career when the two enjoyed a rivalry almost a decade ago 'Of course I want to be one of John Cena's opponents in his last year, but if it could happen that night, that would be pretty incredible, 10 years to the day after the first one.

But obviously, I'd be happy to face him at any point 'In a lot of ways, he's the reason I am here - maybe not today, because I started with NXT, and eventually I probably would have found my way to the main roster - but he's the reason why I came up so quickly and I ended up on RAW so quickly, because he, at the time, needed people to get in the ring with, and he plucked me out of NXT and said, "That's the guy". 'I am incredibly indebted to him and for that, but also for what he's been for the last several years, always somebody that's willing to talk. Always there if I need advice, or anything about wrestling, or about life, about cars.

He's a great, great guy. I consider him a friend, and I'd love to face him at any point for sure.' Owens is in a reflective mood.

He is a one-time world champion, but a two-time WrestleMania main-eventer, and has another title match in Germany, where he will face good friend Cody Rhodes for the WWE title. There is so much to come, but retirement is also on Owens' mind. He's been wrestling since he turned 16, loves the sport, but, as is the way with wrestling, the future is unclear.

Retirement is also on Owens' mind, with the WWE star revealing how long he feels he has left of his own career Owens spoke about how he feels 'blessed' to achieve what he has done in the last 10 years He is set to face Cody Rhodes on Saturday following a partnership with Randy Orton (right) 'It's just really funny to think back at the sheer amount of people that first said there's no way I'd get a shot, and then, once I got it, assumed I'd be gone in six months,' he adds. 'Now, it's 10 years later, and I think I've had a decade in WWE that rivals anybody else who has been there for a decade in terms of what I've got to experience, the matches I've been in and the positions I've been put on in the show. 'I've been very, very, very lucky, very blessed.

And I don't use that word almost ever, but I really can't think of any other words to describe the last 10 years with WWE. 'It seems like a 30-year career would be pretty great. I'm at 24 now, so maybe six more years.

If everything works out that way, great. That would be my hope and my goal, but I don't know. I think things one day at a time.

'I have worked very hard over the last few years on learning to not take things for granted. And I don't take anything for granted, whether it be my position in WWE or anything else in life. It could all change in an instant, but hopefully six more years in the ring, and then who knows after that?' WWE Bash in Berlin takes place on Saturday night and can be watched live via the WWE Network WWE Logan Paul John Cena Share or comment on this article: Kevin Owens pitches historical final match for John Cena's retirement tour - as he reflects on 10 years with WWE ahead of Bash in Berlin e-mail Add comment.