Kevin Owens Discusses Connection With Fans, WWE Creative Shift Under Triple H

From the moment he arrived in "WWE NXT" back in 2014, Kevin Owens has had the rare distinction of playing a character that is essentially just a louder version of himself. Fans have been invested in him whether he has been a heel or babyface, and he has discussed about the special connection he has with the fans.

"I'm very lucky to have people respond to me the way they do. Even last week on 'SmackDown,' during the match at one point, I think I hit a stunner on Grayson Waller and I stood up and I just looked at the crowd," Owens said during an interview with "Sports Illustrated." "I really do think I have a special connection with the audience and it's really something I cherish a lot. It definitely helps me keep going, keep doing this."

A large part of this has been down to Owens' work under Triple H, both in "NXT" and WWE's main roster. He believes that the creative shift that has happened over the last two years since Triple H took over the creative direction of the company has benefitted the performers as they are allowed to have more input and be themselves, giving everyone a chance to create more genuine connections with the audience.

"We have a very similar sense of humor. So it was, I don't know, it was a couple years ago when we were talking about how we were going to do a certain thing on the show and I went, and I was half joking, 'Can I just point out how ridiculous this is?' and he goes, "Yeah, why not?" and then it just became a thing."