Kevin Owens Challenges CM Punk for WWE Championship at SmackDown

Kevin Owens Challenges CM Punk for WWE Championship at SmackDown. Kevin Owens has joked about the WWE Championship not fitting around his waist at a WWE Live Event on August 22nd. On the August 21st edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown, Owens would challenge CM Punk for the WWE Championship, with Sami Zayn getting involved in the bout, attempting to help Owens dethrone Punk in the bout. However, Owens would end up coming short, with Punk notching another WWE World Championship title defense for 2026. Now, KO has addressed his championship loss, but has kept a sense of humor about the situation. While speaking at WWE’s Live Event in Edmonton on Saturday, Kevin Owens would address his championship loss on Friday, joking about how if he’d have won, the title would not have fit around his waist. “I was hoping when I showed up here tonight, I was hoping I’d have a shiny WWE Championship around my waist… nah nah not around my waist, it wouldn’t really fit. Over my shoulder.” Kevin Owens at tonight’s WWE live event. For more information on Owens’ WWE title challenge from Friday’s edition of SmackDown, you can read more about that here. If you use any of the quotes above, please credit and link to the original source with a h/t and link back to Fightful for the transcription. ## Newcastle and Liverpool Pay Tribute to Kevin Keegan Newcastle and Liverpool came together to pay an emotional tribute to the late Kevin Keegan ahead of their Premier League clash at St. James' Park. The Magpies fans held up a mosaic in Keegan's memory ahead of kick-off as there was a minute's silence in memory of the legendary striker who is adored by both clubs. Keegan passed away aged 75 last month after a battle with stomach cancer. He left behind his wife of 51 years, Jean and their two daughters Laura Jane, 47, and Sarah Marie, 43. Both the Newcastle and Liverpool players could be seen sporting 'Keegan 7' shirts in the warm-up ahead of the match. Fans waved flags adorning Keegan's name, with one from the travelling supporters reading: 'Keegan is the greatest that Shankly ever found.' A large tifo showing off 'King Kev' throughout his football life was held aloft as the teams entered the pitch moments before kick off. The former England international, who won back-to-back Ballon d'Ors in 1978 and 1979, is renowned for his playing careers at both Newcastle and Liverpool, as well as his managerial stints on Tyneside. Keegan made his name at Liverpool in a glittering playing career, winning three First Division titles, a European Cup and two UEFA Cups while donning the famous red jersey. He also won 63 England caps, scoring 21 times for his country. ## Simone Biles Supports Husband Jonathan Owens at NFL Preseason Game American Olympic icon Simone Biles was seen supporting her husband as he played in an NFL preseason game on Saturday. Biles was in Indianapolis to watch on as her man and journeyman NFL defensive back Jonathan Owens suited up for the Indianapolis Colts. The two were seen sharing a moment and a kiss before a game against the Atlanta Falcons. The Colts are the fifth team that Owens has played for since going undrafted out of Division-II Missouri Western State in 2018. He signed a contract with the Arizona Cardinals before joining the Houston Texans in 2019. It was while he was with the Texans where he met Houston native Biles, who he married in April of 2023. Olympic icon Simone Biles was spotted supporting her NFL husband, Jonathan Owens The two shared a kiss before Owens suited up for the Colts, his fifth NFL team Biles has followed Owens from the Texans to the Packers and the Bears before the Colts Owens played four seasons with the Texans before jumping to the Green Bay Packers in 2023. He then went on to play for the Chicago Bears in 2024 and 2025 before signing with Indianapolis this past offseason. Owens, of course, isn't the only athlete in his family as Biles considers a possible comeback for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Just recently, the seven-time Olympic gold medalist shared a photo from inside a gymnastics training gym to her Instagram story. The first snap was taken inside the World Champions Centre, the Texas gym owned by her parents, Ron and Nellie Biles, when she developed into the world's top gymnast. A foam pit, various beams, a trampoline and a ## FIFA Fires Senior Executive Kevin Lamour FIFA confirmed on Monday that chief operating officer Kevin Lamour has left the governing body, weeks after he publicly criticized president Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell a stake in its tournament business, including the World Cup. “FIFA can confirm that the working relationship between FIFA and Kevin Lamour as FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026,” a FIFA spokesperson said. “FIFA thanks Kevin for his two years of service and wishes him the best of luck for the future. No further comment will be made on the matter,” the spokesperson added. FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom informed staff and Council members of Lamour’s departure in a letter on Monday, saying the two sides had “agreed to part ways” following recent discussions, Sky News reported. Lamour had publicly criticized the proposal last month, saying FIFA staff had been “deceived” over the plan and describing it as “the project of one person”. “Our mission ... is to serve football. Not to serve the personal interests of a person who, unfortunately, believes he embodies FIFA when he is supposed to be at its service,” Lamour said in a statement at the time. Lamour’s comments came hours after Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino, resigned in protest at the proposal, calling it “a bad deal for football”. Lamour joined FIFA in November 2024, having previously been part of Infantino’s inner circle that campaigned for his election as president in 2016. The internal dissent came as FIFA faced widespread opposition to its plan to create a US$20-billion subsidiary to run its tournaments, including the World Cup, and sell up to a 20 per cent stake to external investors. FIFA subsequently abandoned the proposal following the backlash. ## Key Takeaways: - Kevin Owens joked about the WWE Championship not fitting around his waist after a loss to CM Punk at SmackDown. - Newcastle and Liverpool paid tribute to Kevin Keegan ahead of their Premier League clash at St. James' Park. - Simone Biles was seen supporting her husband Jonathan Owens at an NFL preseason game on Saturday. - FIFA has fired senior executive Kevin Lamour after he publicly criticized president Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell a stake in its tournament business. - Owens has played for five different NFL teams since going undrafted out of Division-II Missouri Western State in 2018. - Lamour had been part of Infantino’s inner circle that campaigned for his election as president in 2016. - FIFA subsequently abandoned its plan to create a US$20-billion subsidiary to run its tournaments after facing widespread opposition. | Event | Date | Result | Score | --- | --- | --- | --- | WWE Championship | August 21, 2026 | CM Punk wins | - | FIFA's plan to create a US$20-billion subsidiary | August 2026 | Abandoned | - | Kevin Owens' WWE title challenge | August 21, 2026 | Loss | - | Simone Biles' husband Jonathan Owens' NFL game | August 22, 2026 | Colts win | - | Kevin Keegan's death | August 2026 | Passed away aged 75 | - | FIFA's working relationship with Kevin Lamour | August 17, 2026 | Ended | - |