Kevin Owens: Saturday Night's Main Event Means More Than Just A Shot At WWE Title [Exclusive]

The original Saturday Night's Main Event series on NBC had a solid seven year run from the spring of 1985 to the fall of 1992. There were attempts at a revival in the mid-2000's, but those didn't quite recapture the magic that WWE hopes to harness with tonight's relaunch.

WWE is taking it back to where it all began when SNME emanates from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island. And just like the premiere episode nearly 40 years ago, tonight's show will be headlined by a battle for the WWE Championship.

Kevin Owens can only remember bits and pieces of the Saturday Night's Main Event specials that he had re-watched as a kid, after the show had already been moved to Fox and eventually discontinued. He doesn't carry the same nostalgic connection to the program as other wrestling fans, but that doesn't make tonight's opportunity any less special.

“It's clearly a huge deal,” Owens told The TakeDown on SI. “I can base that off my dad who, I can't say he has always been a wrestling fan, but he’s always been pretty aware of wrestling. And in ‘95, he was the one who rented a tape at the video store that I ended up watching. It was WrestleMania XI, and that changed my life from that point on and he became a fan along with me.”

Leaving all of the other circumstances surrounding tonight's main event aside, the touch of importance for Owens' father puts an extra emphasis on this one for the former Universal Champion.

“He was telling me a few weeks ago that Saturday Night's Main Event is a huge deal.” Owens said. “Main eventing any show is pretty special but for my dad to be like, ‘Hey, this is great. Saturday Night's Main Event, that's a big deal.’ I was like, ‘Oh, wow.’”

BREAKING: Jesse Ventura makes his return to the broadcast announce table for Saturday Night's Main Event on Dec. 14, LIVE at 8/7c on @nbc, as first revealed on The @BillSimmons Podcast! pic.twitter.com/2SiqHvISwl
— WWE (@WWE) December 6, 2024

When fans tune in to watch Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes lock up with the WWE Championship on the line they'll be greeted by a familiar and unique set of tones as Jesse 'The Body" Venture takes his rightful place at the commentary desk.

Ventura was on the call for the show's original run until his departure from WWE in 1990. Wrestling for the WWE Title with 'The Body' on commentary is a bucket list item that Owens never believed was a possibility until his return to WWE was announced earlier this month.

“A pretty interesting individual, as you can guess. Funny enough, I used to watch this show he had about conspiracy theories and stuff like that and I really enjoyed that a lot. So, talking to him the other day was pretty cool.”

Ventura signed a WWE Legends deal back in October, marking the first time he been under contract with company since 1990. It's a return that Ventura himself equated to Hell freezing over after his falling out with former WWE CEO, and his former Saturday Night's Main Event commentary partner, Vince McMahon.

When Owens and Ventura spoke a few days ago it was the first opportunity the two had to meet and their conversation did not let down any expectations KO may have had ahead of time.

“I had a Terry Funk t-shirt on, and he told me a story about having a 60-minute match with him,” Owens recalled. “It's great to have him around. It's great anytime we have one of the top stars from a different era in to talk to us and just kinda share their wisdom. But Jesse Ventura, how can I put it? It was almost so unlikely that he would ever kind of come back into this world. So to have him here again and be part of a big show like this, it's pretty cool.”

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Jesse Ventura on commentary is always an interesting prospect as he's rarely been known to leave a thought unsaid. Kevin Owens is another man known to speak his mind, regardless of how people may react. With 'The Body' back in the WWE fold, it's only a matter of time before these generational talkers get the chance to converse on screen.

“It feels like it's bound to happen. Who knows when, but yeah, I'd love that,” Owens said. “Of course. I don't know anybody who wouldn't love the chance to verbally joust with Jesse Ventura.”

Ventura has promised a complete trip back in time tonight. No ramp, no fancy stage lights or A.I. generations, but Saturday Night's Main Event has the potential to be more than just an evening full of rose-tinted memories of a bygone era in professional wrestling. The results of tonight's WWE Championship match could significantly alter the charted course to WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.

After wrestling the last decade of his career in world's largest and most profitable promotion, Kevin Owens is still searching for his first WWE Championship. It's a title he would have won at Bash in Berlin had he not shown mercy on Cody Rhodes and his injured knee.

“I guess at that point I hadn't realized just how big a piece of s— he is. I had doubts. I had seen hints of it, but now I'm just really, really well aware of it.”

Tonight will be a much different story. Kevin Owens is a shark and he won't hesitate to attack when he senses blood in the water.

.@CodyRhodes and @FightOwensFight couldn't wait until tomorrow night 😳#SNME is going to be CHAOS! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/KGCU8H8aM7
— WWE (@WWE) December 14, 2024

The American Nightmare is ready to take things to a dark place himself tonight as he's seeking revenge for Owens' attack on his friend and mentor Randy Orton.

Fittingly enough, it was Randy's father 'Cowboy' Bob Orton who challenged Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship at the first Saturday Night's Main Event. With The Viper not medically cleared to compete, it will be up to Rhodes to stand in as the representative for the Orton family this evening.

The Cowboy did not walk out of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum with the gold back in 1985. Will Cody Rhodes be able to or will Owens capitalize on his golden opportunity to dethrone WWE's 'golden boy' and finally capture his first WWE Championship?

We'll find out when Saturday Night's Main Event goes live tonight on NBC and Peacock at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.

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