Kevin Owens Lacks Momentum After John Cena Loss at WWE Battleground 2015

Kevin Owens' loss to John Cena at WWE's Battleground event came as a surprise to many fans. The hype surrounding Owens had been huge going into July 19 and he had never looked better as a character or as a contender, since arriving in WWE.

But any momentum Owens had appears to be gone now. Jobbing to Cena is something a lot of guys have done in WWE and there's really no shame in it; Cena is the top guy in the company. Losing to him is just a potential fact of life for any WWE Superstar and that is likely not changing any time soon.

However, this was supposed to be different. Owens was supposed to be different. He was not supposed to be WWE's garden-variety heel, who picked a fight with Cena in a two-month program that he ultimately lost. This feud was not supposed to end with Cena's arm raised and Owens rolling out of the ring after losing the rubber match.

This was not how Owens versus Cena was supposed to end.

Owens is part of the next generation, the new class of talent from NXT that was meant to carry the company forward. Alongside Finn Balor, Sami Zayn and Samoa Joe, Owens represents the best talent the indie circuit has to offer and now that talent is working for Vince McMahon.

Tomorrow's stars have to come from somewhere; WWE had obviously found its new crop, which consisted of these guys and many more.  

So Owens was called up, given ample spotlight to get over and that is exactly what he did. He delivered his promos with icy heartlessness and possessed a cold resolve that was both refreshing and disarming at the same time. He never yelled, he never screamed and he never seemed to be phased by anything around him.

His focus was razor-sharp and he used every moment he was given to make a statement about his intentions toward Cena. He made an impact every time he was on TV and any fan that may not have been familiar with him before his main roster debut would likely never forget him.

His work elevated him to the upper level of WWE. He became the second top heel next to Seth Rollins and some would likely argue he surpassed Rollins in that role. Owens had arrived and WWE's evolution was truly beginning.

His work with Cena was on point, he held his own every time they crossed paths and he more than delivered whenever he was in the ring. He was getting the rub from Cena and that was surely going to lead him to great heights in WWE.

But now that's all over. It's not to say Owens' career is finished, as long as he is being booked on TV, he's got the opportunity to shine. However, his ability is almost certainly being called into question by fans that believed he had everything it took to best Cena but in the end could not get the job done.

How can fans buy into a top heel with all the promise Owens showed when he taps out in the deciding match? How can fans believe he's a threat to anyone after first losing the NXT Championship to Balor then losing two straight to Cena?

Why would fans care about a guy that is supposedly the next generation when he can't get past the current standard-bearer for the company?

The fact is, Owens is just beginning. Battleground was not his epithet; it was merely just a bump in the road. He has plenty of time to right the ship. But for now, he has no momentum and perception is reality for many fans.

If Owens appears down, then he's down. If he seems to have been less than advertised, then that is exactly what he is. Despite the tremendous work he put in versus Cena through all three matches, the only thing that really matters in the end to some is his win/loss record. He did not defeat Cena at Battleground and now he joins the rest of WWE's promising heels that could have been big but fell short.

This may not be Owens' eventual fate but right now, it's not looking good. No one can deny he was very impressive at Battleground and no one can deny he's over as a heel but beyond that, it's anyone's guess. He may actually have to start back at the bottom or he will perhaps be seen more on NXT than the main roster now.

If that is indeed the case, then it will all go back to Battleground and the momentum that he lost.  He still has a lot of career left but starting back from square one is never an easy task. Facing Cena again is likely not going to happen and other than Randy Orton or Brock Lesnar, there are no real top-tier main event guys Owens can work with.

That leaves the midcard or perhaps even lower; it's not quite what fans expected from Owens based upon the work put into promoting him against Cena. But if that is his destination, then he will surely deliver as he always has and his star will ultimately rise again.