WWE villain Kevin Owens used a piledriver on rival Randy Orton on SmackDown and fans still can’t get enough.

Under the direction of the Creative Director and Content Director Paul ‘Triple H’ LévesqueWWE’s storylines and rivalries were given a little more room to develop and breathe.

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This garnered a lot of praise from fans who enjoyed watching finer details and longer-term storytelling.

There is perhaps no better example of less sense under the “Triple H regime” than the segment on Friday night’s episode of the Blue Brand show. between Owens and Orton.

Owens recently turned heel – wrestling terminology for a good guy or hero turning into a red-hot villain – after months of simmering tension.

The Canadian had been aligned with Cody Rhodes and Orton, but turned on the former after The American Nightmare teamed up with Roman Reigns – then quickly turned his ire on The Viper as well.

It came to a head on Friday when Owens attacked Orton featuring a move long since retired from WWE in the piledriver, which for many years was a vital part of a wrestler’s offense.

He broke an icon’s neck Stone Cold Steve Austin in 1997. In a match for the Intercontinental Championship against Owen Hart at SummerSlamAustin fell on his head during an incorrect execution of the move, suffering spinal cord compression.

Austin went on to become a global celebrity in WWE, but always attributed the incident to cutting his wrestling career short.

In an effort to protect wrestlers from injury and injury, WWE phased out moves such as the piledriver and sidewalk, as well as the excessive use of steel chairs, in later years.

The piledriver alone has been a lesser seen move, typically performed only in the last decade by The entrepreneurwho had long ago perfected his Tombstone version.

Owens’ very safe execution on Friday was the first time she had been seen on WWE television since 2013. John Cena took one at the hands of CM Punk – so it’s no surprise that the company made a big deal out of it, with commentator Michael Cole playing up the drama of using a “banned” move.

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As a result, Orton was seemingly written off television, with WWE posting on its X account that the star had been “diagnosed with cervical cord neurapraxia” and that there was “no timetable for his return.”

The fact that such emphasis was placed on the severity of the storyline construction process impressed fans who have continued to praise the segment on social media since the show aired.

One said: “Perfect use. Delivered safely and sold perfectly,” while another added: “Nice work, this was the most rigid and protected piledriver you could hope to see or run. It looked like it broke his neck, but it was probably like coming off a fast roller coaster. Professionals at work. »

A third joked: “I respect what WWE is doing selling their first piledriver in years by having Randy sell it like he almost died.”

“Perfect execution of using this move,” praised a fourth, adding: between Cole banishing him and the damage he did to Randy. It was a big deal!

Orton has been on one hell of a run in WWE over the past year since returning from a legitimate injury layoff that cost him 18 months of his career.

The star I had back problems before crucial surgery allowed him to return to the ring.