Update: Kevin Steen has officially arrived at NXT, complete with t-shirt and handshake photo with WWE COO Triple H.
On June 9th, news leaked that the WWE had signed Indy superstar and internet heart-throb, Kevin Steen. WrestleZone was first to crack the story after receiving confirmation from WWE sources and we at LastWordOnSports have also received news from those whom are close to Steen.
After spending 14 years in the Independent circuit, debuting back in 2000 in Jacques Rougeau’s promotion — where Steen was also trained — at the age of 16. Steen would spend the next four years with Rougeau. In 2004, Steen wrestled for several Canadian promotions including IWS (International Wrestling Syndicate), a promotion founded in Montreal by local Indy wrestler, Eddy Dorozowsky (aka SeXXXy Eddy).
After wrestling for other promotions around the globe, including Combat Zone Wrestling(CZW) and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), Steen would hit it big when he would leave for Ring of Honor (ROH). Steen won the ROH Championship on one occasion, rejoined his old tag team partner El Generico and together they captured the ROH Tag Team Championships once. Of course, they also feuded and beat each other up.
In 2005, he was SoCal Uncensored’s Wrestler of the Year. Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked him number ten in their top 500 singles wrestlers in 2013. If that doesn’t impress you, Wrestling Observer Newsletter thought he was the Best Brawler from 2010 to 2012 and had the best feud in 2010 with El Generico.
It’s safe to say; his credentials are there. Kevin Steen is one talented man.
LastWordOnSports had a chance to get some thoughts from Montreal Independent wrestler, Fuego, who wrestles in NCW, a promotion that had Steen wrestling for them on several occasions. Fuego had this to say;
“Nice guy, was never really close to the guy so I don’t have any quirky anecdotes. However, this guys worked his ass off in the industry, a lot of travelling, sacrifices (you know, the typical indy guy trying to make it). Before his try out, he trained with us at Dru Onyx’ Torture Chamber. Since Dru has done WWE tryouts in the past, he knows what Steen was about to go through, especially in terms of cardio drills, which we practiced. First comment we heard back from the tryout, Steen impressed the scouts, breezing through the drills.”
What does the WWE hold for Kevin Steen?
One can only pray they don’t give him the typical Big Guy gimmick. We have seen what the company has done with mobile big men like Brodus Clay and Tensai. Kevin Steen is so much more than your larger-type wrestler. He can move, quick on his feet and agile. He can out-wrestle just about anybody with a variety of effective moves and if he doesn’t bedazzle you with his package piledriver or his rolling flips into a downed opponent in a corner, he’ll climb the top rope and hit a senton bomb. He’s just that skilled.
Maybe he re-unites with El Generico?
Now going by the name of Sami Zayn, it could be possible the WWE joins these two forces together and has them re-live their magic from the Indies. With growing concern that Sami Zayn’s direction may be questioned, a blazing tag team run with Steen could set both these men on a career-starting war-path. Then again, the IWC got invested rather quickly with the idea of a Kings Of Wrestling run when Antonio Cesaro and Kassius Ohno arrived on the scene and even tagged together once in NXT, but that never happened.
One thing is for sure; this signing has been a long time coming. All of Steen’s hard work, all of the travelling he has done, missing a Father’s Day and holding back tears as he mentioned it in a video that was posted to his YouTube page, putting his body and sometimes even his life on the line just to entertain the crowd… this is it. This is the moment for Kevin Steen to take and run with it.
photo credit: Anton Jackson via photopin cc
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