Kevin Owens On Why He Doesn’t Like The Word Gimmick, Possibly Facing AJ Styles And More

Kevin Owens recently spoke to The Mirror to promote WWE’s upcoming UK tour and more. Owens opened up about a number of topic such as how he feels about the white strap on the IC Title belt and if he’s currently in a feud with the Big Show. You can check out the full interview here and also read some highlights below.

If he’s interested in facing AJ Styles at WrestleMania 32:

“No not at all actually, I feel like AJ is not on my level. He’s got to cut his teeth in WWE a little before he can even think about coming after somebody like me. He’s just got here, he’s pretty new and he’s a bit of a rookie. I feel like I’ve been showing the WWE Universe for nine, 10 months my superiority and how dominating I am as an Intercontinental Champion. I was NXT Champion and I have accomplished so much more than he has. I feel like before he can even think about coming after me he needs to get a decent haircut first of all, then get a couple of victories in WWE. Then I’ll entertain the idea of maybe stepping into the ring with him, when I feel he deserves to be in there with me.”

Why he doesn’t like the word gimmick:

“You know maybe so. I don’t feel like I’m a character, I certainly don’t feel like I’m a gimmick, I am who I am. Owens may not be my real last name but it’s close as it gets because it’s my son’s name, Owen, that’s why I picked that name, and Kevin Owens is who I am, I can’t stress that enough. Obviously I’m not going round town being as smarky as I am outwardly, but you know, on the inside I am nearly exactly that guy. The bright lights, the music and the ring of Raw and SmackDown that’s my platform to kind of let it out, but really what you see on TV every day is a big part of who I am. So I don’t know if that’s why it connects with people, because it’s very genuine, but that’s one thing even on the independent scene before my time with WWE, that I always made sure to bring out, that everything I do is genuine. I feel like that’s what connects with audiences. If they can tell you’re genuine then they will get behind you or they will hate you. Either way they will react to you because they feel like what they’re watching is reality… and that’s me.

I’ll be honest I don’t like that word gimmick. I think a lot of people use it and don’t really know what it means – I don’t know what it means. I never connected with people who had outlandish characters if you will, I connected with the people who stayed true to themselves, which is why I was the biggest ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin fan there was. I’m a ‘no frills’ kind of guy.”