Kevin Owens Is in Dream Spot with Match vs. John Cena at Elimination Chamber

Kevin Owens has a prime opportunity to prove himself on WWE's big stage when he faces John Cena in a match at the Elimination Chamber event on Sunday, May 31.  The bout may be a bit surreal for fans that perhaps never thought it would be taking place this soon, and there is no doubt that it's a dream spot for Owens to be in.

There can be no bigger test for Owens at this point in his very young WWE career.  He may be a 15-year veteran of the business, but facing Cena in a high-profile match is something altogether different.  This is prime time, a choice position, and Owens is lucky to have it.

It's not that he can't handle the pressure, however.  It's the fact that anyone could have been booked to work Cena at Elimination Chamber, but the company chose Owens.

Owens and Cena had one confrontation, and that single meeting led to the match being booked.  It was perhaps one of the quickest set-ups for a match that fans had seen in a very long time.  Had it not been for Owens' interruption of Cena that night on Monday Night Raw, this one would have had no reason to happen at all.

Owens had a great chance to impress on that night as well, and he more than delivered.

But this is not a one-off confrontation with Cena; this is a moment that could potentially be called "career defining" if Owens does indeed take advantage of it.  It all comes down to how he looks and how much he's allowed to do against WWE's top gun.

Owens must be given room to work.  He is presented as the ultimate bruiser in NXT, that brand's version of Brock Lesnar.  Every time he's in the ring, he decimates his opposition and leaves carnage in his wake. It's that mentality that has kept him above the rest in terms of character and has put him among the company's most feared talents from a storyline perspective.

Owens is respected for what he can do, but he's also hated for how he does it.  He has ice water in his veins, with no regard for the welfare of others that he may hurt.  He is the true definition of a heel, and his mystique is only getting stronger.

But John Cena is not an unknown talent, and Elimination Chamber is not NXT's weekly program.  Owens may not be allowed to mow through Cena as he has others like Sami Zayn, and for that matter, he may not be allowed to take the majority of the match.

If that happens, his reputation and character suddenly become very meaningless very quickly.

Fans need to see Owens at his best.  He needs to hit the ring with full force, focused on Cena and bent on his demise.  The work he's done in NXT should not be ignored, and any fans watching on May 31 should see the same guy they've seen dominate every week.

The booking must be right here.  If Owens is eventually going to be something more than what he is,  he cannot be schooled by Cena from opening bell to the final bell.  This cannot be a case of WWE's top talent giving the new guy a lesson in humility; this must be the new guy proving he belongs no matter what.

Owens must step up his game and whatever happens, it must be evident afterward that he is a force to be reckoned with in WWE.  Barring a sudden jump to the main roster, this may be the only time Owens has against Cena to prove anything.  

Cena's open challenge for his United States Championship led Owens to his door as it led Zayn, but that does not mean he's on an NXT run.  This is likely just a way for the company to get its newest stars in front of the top star, to feel them out and test their instincts.

It's probably also a way to see how the crowd responds.  When this is all over, Cena could go back to working stars from the main roster only.  His match with Owens will be ancient history and fans will be debating on what happens next.

So in the meantime, they must also be discussing how good Owens looked and how bright his future is. If the booking is there, and if Cena is willing to give Owens what he needs to get over, then the hope for Owens' future success will not be in doubt.

It all hinges on this dream spot at the Elimination Chamber.  Owens went from being on the casual fans' radar to being thrust into the main event scene with Cena.  Other guys would likely do anything for such a spot, and Owens must work hard to prove he deserves it.