Former WWE Star & Kevin Owens Trainer Talks KO’s Universal Title Win
On the latest episode of Main Event Radio, host Ryan Rider was joined by Kevin Owens’ former trainer, Jacques “The Mountie” Rougeau. Audio from the show can be downloaded at this link. Below are some interview highlights:
Jacques Rougeau on Kevin Owens’ Universal Championship victory:
I trained him for his first 5 years in the business. I’m not really that close to him today because we took different paths. From when he stepped foot in my wrestling school I knew I had come across something special. He was the type of guy who understood faster than the average. Some of my lessons for him were kind of boring. The average of the guys in my class were going at a certain speed and I had to respect that but Kevin was always ahead of the others. I knew he had something special, I really did.
I’ve been organizing wrestling shows across Quebec for almost 20 years now. Kevin Owens, well actually Kevin Steen quickly became a star on my shows. He had a lot of charisma and was a great part of them. I knew he was going to become a big star. It didn’t happen easily. I want to give him the credit. He did it all on his own…I never helped him on the road, he went to Japan and a lot of credit goes to that guy.
Looking at Kevin Steen was like looking at myself in the mirror when I was 16 years old.
He’s been the Intercontinental Champion; he’s now the World [Universal] Champion. He is definitely the hottest thing Quebec has had in many, many years. It’s a wonderful day for Quebec right now and we are all celebrating. It’s a great thing and I’m very proud of him.
His son, Cedric Rougeau, getting a tryout with the WWE Performance Centre next month:
He’s going on the 29th of September for a tryout in Orlando. That came about 2 years ago at the Montreal Comic Con with my good friend Hulk Hogan. When Hulk met my son, his eyes were facing my son’s nose. He said Jesus Christ and he looked at me and said “are you sure you’re the father?” I said, yes I am.
He weighs 315, he’s 6’7. Hulk contacted a couple of guys over there [in WWE] and we met with Triple H and Steve [William] Regal. We are all very excited. We’re aiming to have a chance at another Quebecer getting into WWE. For us, it is the 4th generation of the Rougeau family.
Hulk Hogan has the same weakness for my son that Triple H has for Kevin Owens. Triple H is the boss of the WWE and he’s got a little weakness for Kevin; he likes him a lot. And I gotta tell you something, when he [Kevin] was in my school, I had a weakness for him too. He had this toughness that’s likeable about him. I see the relationship I had with him for 5 years, I see the same relationship with him and Triple H.
WWE Smackdown Top 10
Below is this week’s WWE Smackdown Top 10:
Bella Twins on Magazine Cover
As seen below, The Bella Twins are on this month’s edition of Pacific San Diego:
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
