Kevin Owens is working to be one of the WWE's baddest heels on the roster, an aspect more important than ever as he tries to find his place in the pecking order on SmackDown Live. 

Owens recaptured the United States title from Chris Jericho with a brutal beatdown and is on track to continue steamrolling ahead. The former WWE Universal champion is set for a showcase showdown with AJ Styles at Backlash later this month. 

KO remains a staple for WWE Live events, with the young up-and-comer putting in daily work as he continues to improve his in-ring talents and developing chemistry with opponents. It's also a chance for him to continue building up his villainous persona. 

Owens took an opportunity to do just that at a recent WWE Live event. As Owens was walking down to the ring, fans clamored for an autograph from the champ. KO grabbed the piece of paper and pen and does the most heel thing possible.

Here's the brilliant heel moment, as brought to light on the WWE's official Instagram page:

"Make sure when you come to #WWELive you don't ask for an autograph from #KevinOwens," the WWE's Instagram caption reads. 

That's rude. That's mean. That's... everything that makes Owens a great heel. SmackDown Live needs someone for fans to root against and Owens is doing a fantastic job of painting himself into that niche. It's exactly why his shift from RAW to SmackDown was such a big move from the WWE. 

Sure, it could be considered a bit off-putting to watch a paying customer get treated with such disrespect, but it's part of the show ultimately. If heels were prancing around taking selfies with fans while autographing their faces, the effect of being "bad" would be greatly diminished.

It's all part of the illusion, and Owens played his part perfectly. Being an effective heel is an art, and he's been steadily growing in that department. That's made him one of the biggest draws in the company, and why making him a fixture of SmackDown was the right move. 

As for the fan, who knows. Perhaps the WWE rewarded him or her with an autograph after the show, perhaps it was all an elaborate work - though that'd be strange for a house show - or perhaps he or she really was left empty-handed. 

Either way, the heel genius of KO has no mercy, even if a young fan is clamoring for an autograph from the US champ.