Kevin Owens Turns Face, Cesaro Challenges Black, More WWE SmackDown Fallout

Just one week after Kevin Owens seemed to be struggling to find his place on WWE SmackDown Live, he made an unforgettable statement on the July 9 edition of the blue brand. He called out Shane McMahon and left him lying by the end of the night.

It was an impressive night for The Prizefighter that certainly stood as the highlight of the show, but he wasn't the only one looking to make a statement.

Shinsuke Nakamura re-established himself by dominating Finn Balor in a non-title match. His performance may have been the most impressive he has looked since debuting on the main roster in April 2017.

Paige continued to push for Asuka and Kairi Sane to get their title shot at The IIconics. While both teams continue to be kept apart, it is only a matter of time.

Aleister Black also finally got his challenger. After weeks of calling out the roster, Cesaro answered, showing he was ready to get physical with The Dutch Destroyer.

This week's SmackDown may not have fully hyped up Extreme Rules on Sunday, but it did showcase who fans should be paying attention to in the coming months as the company approaches SummerSlam.

Kevin Owens Is Finally Getting His Legitimate Chance as a Babyface

Kevin Owens interrupted Dolph Ziggler's interview in the parking lot. The two quickly got into a brawl, and Shane McMahon decided to send The Prizefighter home.

Instead, KO interrupted the opening of the show to call out the McMahon family until Shane-O-Mac had security carry him out.

Later, during the main event between Ziggler and Roman Reigns, Owens hit a stunner on McMahon, which kept him from screwing with The Big Dog.

Last week teased that KO could be heading in a new direction, but this was an emphatic statement. It seems he has quickly abandoned his familiar heel run for a second chance at playing the babyface.

His promo on Boy Wonder was the best thing he's done since returning in February. He was engaging and impressive again, more like a star than he ever was as a heel. He should also be able to open up his move set again, and his charisma will be unleashed.

With a fresh switch in direction, Owens is being rebranded but still heavily featured. This could be the start of the best run of his entire career. He will thrive as long as he isn't thrown together with Sami Zayn again.

Also, it would be a mistake to try to make him the next "Stone Cold" Steve Austin even if he's using a stunner. WWE has a habit of repeating stories, but it is entirely unnecessary here. Owens is his own star.

Shinsuke Nakamura Looks More Dominant Than He Has in Years

Credit: WWE.com

Shinsuke Nakamura challenged Finn Balor to right his direction in WWE and earn a future Intercontinental Championship opportunity. While the champion refused to stay down, The Artist was too much, catching him with a second Kinshasa for the pinfall.

Nakamura was one of WWE's biggest signings when it was announced in 2016, but he has often not lived up to that mantle. While his NXT run was one-sided in dominance, it was hit and miss in terms of match quality.

His debut on the main roster left even more to be desired. He has often seemed unsettled in WWE, and he has rarely looked dangerous. His feud with AJ Styles was the closest he has been to the top, and even then he was often seeking shortcuts and still losing.

This match was a complete shift. While he wasn't at peak performance, he was as dominant as he has ever looked on the main roster. He destroyed Balor and beat him clean. It was a telling showcase of how he should be used by the slowly changing blue brand.

If this is a sign of things to come, The Artist may finally get the spotlight many hoped he would get upon his signing. Hopefully, it won't come at the expense of The Extraordinary Man, who has been ignored lately.

Asuka and Kairi Sane Continue to Be Disrespected by Misuse

Paige confronted The IIconics backstage to announce that Asuka and Sane wanted their WWE Women's Tag Team Championships match. Peyton Royce and Billie Kay refused, putting off the clash for a later date.

The women's tag team division has been on hold for months now for no reason. The IIconics have rivals now that they should be fighting. The feud has been left to backstage segments and house shows.

It isn't just The Empress of Tomorrow and The Pirate Princess suffering, though they are two of the best wrestlers in the world. It is an absolute travesty they can't get regular TV time, especially with a manager such as Paige who can speak for them.

This division would be fantastic with Asuka and Sane fighting as champions against the best women in the company. The IIconics remain entertaining, but Royce and Kay refusing all competition has silenced the conversation about the titles.

The reason Natalya, Naomi, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Dana Brooke and more cannot get any TV time is that there's nothing for them to fight for. You could vacate the tag titles and no one would notice. That's a problem for championships introduced less than six months ago.

Cesaro Is the Perfect 1st Opponent for Aleister Black

Aleister Black finally got the answer he was looking for when a mystery man knocked at his door a few weeks back. Cesaro revealed this week in a split-screen interview he was the one who had picked a fight with The Dutch Destroyer.

This should be an excellent match between two of the best in-ring performers in the company. The Swiss Superman is the perfect man to present Black to the WWE Universe. While fans have seen the Dutchman in the ring, they are now getting a reintroduction at Extreme Rules.

Cesaro will bring out the best in Black and be willing to take his most brutal strikes. It should be a fast, physical and intense match that could easily steal the show. A win will also quickly help establish Black as a dangerous opponent much like Ricochet's wins over the former Bar member.

It will be interesting to see how far WWE goes with the two. It could be a one-off if the company wants to push The Dutch Destroyer straight to the top. However, it would be more interesting if this was only the start of their rivalry.

Both men are potential top stars for WWE. While Black can be fast-tracked to the top, it would be at the expense of Cesaro. Why not let them elevate each other?