John Cena's Elevation of the US Title Has Greatly Benefited Kevin Owens

John Cena's feud with Kevin Owens is heading toward a third and perhaps decisive match at WWE Battleground on Sunday, July 19.  The bout is the rubber match between the two men, and this time, Cena's United States Championship is on the line.

For Owens' fans, this added bonus is a much-needed extra.  Owens has looked extremely good against the company's top star, and now Cena's title belt is finally on the line.  It's the same title belt that has greatly benefited Owens.

When it became obvious Cena wanted the star spangled championship, many fans likely did not know what to think.  Was Cena's win going to result in a short-term title reign?  Or was something else at work that the crowd perhaps was not privy to?

The latter proved to be the case, as Cena began upping the ante every week on TV by defending the strap against all comers.  Suddenly, the United States Championship became anyone's game, and they only had to pin Cena in the middle of the ring to claim their prize.

However, Cena is still the top guy in WWE, and because of that he does not lose all that often.  So despite how many times he was challenged, no one was capable of shutting him down.

But with every title match came respect.  With every win came more adulation.  The United States title went from being a weak secondary championship to being a pretty valuable piece of hardware.  It's this hardware Owens wants; it's the one he can't live without.

Leave it to WWE's hottest heel to take direct aim at Cena and try to best him where it hurts.  Owens is aware of just how much the U.S title means to Cena, and he knows that taking it would wound him like nothing else could.

Cena's entire gimmick has revolved around his heroic persona; his never-say-die attitude and impressive resiliency are the embodiment of the American dream.  The U.S. title has become his symbol, his statement to the rest of the locker room that he will not back down from a fight.

The belt means so much to Cena now that to take it is to take a piece of him with it.  That is exactly what Owens wants to do, and this angle has played out perfectly, not only for the company but for the guys involved as well.  

The belt's increased value is a major plus for Owens, because his high-profile run is that much more significant if he wins.  Owens would not be taking an irrelevant belt away from Cena; he would be taking a highly valuable prize that Cena cherishes.

Cena has essentially brought the belt back from the dead, given it new life and made it better than before.  If he loses it to Owens at Battleground, it's a huge statement by WWE that he has arrived and he is trusted with the added responsibility of beating the company's top star.

The bragging rights that go along with taking a championship away from Cena would belong to Owens. Every time fans saw him from that point on, he would carry with him two wins over Cena, with one coming in a high-pressure environment.  

It's all about the initial rub Cena has given the former NXT champion, and now that rub could culminate in a rivalry-ending bout and a new championship as well.  

Cena understands business; he knows that when a fresh talent like Owens is in the picture, he should be helped along the way.  The company needs new blood on the main event scene, and Owens is part of the next generation of stars.  If he is to succeed, then he must be given opportunities, and Cena is the perfect man to make that happen.

The renewed importance of the United States Championship could not have come at a better time. Cena's work to get that belt over is well worth the effort he put in, and now that effort should pay off big for Owens.

Just the chase alone has been important for Owens.  To be in the same ring with Cena after having only worked in the developmental brand since signing with WWE, is huge.  His first win over Cena is a big deal, and his possible title win is much bigger.

Despite what happens at Battleground, Owens is in great shape.  A loss will not necessarily hurt him, and a win will put him one notch higher than he is right now.  Wearing the belt Cena worked so hard to keep will only add to the prestige of it, and Owens will benefit from it like perhaps no other star imaginable.