According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the original plan for Kevin Owens heading into WrestleMania was for him to be the second biggest babyface on the Smackdown Live brand, right behind Roman Reigns.
Several factors have changed that, obviously, as Owens turned heel this week on Smackdown Live, attacking WWE Champion Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.
One of those factors was the injury to Daniel Bryan, who hasn’t been backstage at television since WrestleMania. There’s still no update on the severity of that injury or how long he is expected to be out, but he was reportedly slated to face Kingston in a rematch at Money in the Bank, so a major change had to be made quickly.
Of course, Kingston’s explosive success over the last few months is a big reason in it of itself that Owens was turned heel. The original plan for WrestleMania was for Owens, as the show’s top returning babyface, given the stone cold stunner as his new finisher, to challenge Bryan for the title.
Ultimately, the decision was made shortly after WrestleMania to turn Owens heel and package him temporarily with The New Day, after Big E suffered an injury.