Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens: Winner and Reaction from 2015 WWE SummerSlam

The long-running rivalry between Cesaro and Kevin Owens reached a fever pitch Sunday night at SummerSlam when KO got one over on his nemesis in an entertaining singles match.

Owens notched the win with a Popup Powerbomb, per WWE:

Both stars had their moments, with Owens' takedown of Cesaro being one of the highlights, per WWE Universe:

As was a Owens cannonball to Cesaro outside of the ring, via WWE Universe: 

Cesaro had his share of moments as well, including a point where he swung Owens by the legs for the Cesaro Swing, via WWE Universe: 

Less than 24 hours after losing to Finn Balor at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, Owens emerged victorious, earning a congratulatory tweet from his opponent from Saturday: 

Both Cesaro and Owens made big names for themselves on the independent scene before making the leap to WWE. Cesaro has had fleeting moments of brilliance often derailed by poor booking, while his Canadian counterpart made an instant impact by winning the NXT Championship and beating John Cena, only to get moved back down the card.

Most fans see greatness and perhaps even world title reigns in the future for both Superstars, so it was great to watch them lock horns at one of the biggest events on the WWE calendar.

Being part of the match was especially huge for The Swiss Superman considering the fact that he wasn't even on television regularly as recently as a couple of months ago. His feud with Owens over attempting to vie for Cena's United States Championship has changed that, though, and they have since branched off into their own program.

It has done wonders for both men in terms of establishing their characters. Cesaro has looked like a valiant face who is willing to throw down at any time, while KO is more than content to play the heel and get out of Dodge, as seen in this GIF courtesy of WWE Universe on Twitter:

At the same time, though, Owens has no problem taking advantage of a situation if it results in him getting the upper hand on his opponent:

The back-and-forth war of words and physical altercations leading up to SummerSlam made Cesaro versus Owens perhaps the most intriguing match on the entire undercard.

Most expected them to tear the house down with their consistently great in-ring work, and they didn't disappoint in that regard, as both men came out of the pay-per-view looking great.

Owens was ultimately given the win, which suggests he could be in line for something bigger moving forward. It is unlikely he'll be placed in the world title scene quite yet, but having him win the Intercontinental Championship could do wonders for the belt just like Cena has for the United States Championship.

As for Cesaro, he was once again denied a big victory, which is probably a bit disconcerting for his supporters. He has often been mishandled over the years, so it is understandable if some believe he is going down that dark road once again.

In terms of overall talent in all aspects, though, Owens and Cesaro are two of the best in the business today. They proved that at SummerSlam on Sunday, and they should both continue to be among the top performers on the roster in the coming months. 

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.