Update on When Kevin Owens Might Return to the Ring

Kevin Owens has been sidelined due to a neck injury he suffered back in April of 2025. He underwent neck surgery over the summer. The injury forced his scheduled match against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41 to be changed, with Joe Hendry replacing him.

In the latest Fightful Select Q&A Answers, Sean Ross Sapp said that while he isn’t sure on the specific neck injury Owens had done, if it was a fusion, he would be out for at least a year after surgery, which would put his return at next summer. WWE sources told him after the original injury took place that they didn’t expect him back for WrestleMania 42 in 2026.

Given Owens’ neck history, and his in-ring style, as well as the complexity of the injury itself, it’s not a given that he will be able to return to the ring at all.

Owens started his career at the age of 16 and made his main roster WWE debut back in 2015. Since then, he has stood out among WWE Superstars and had memorable moments with the likes of John Cena and Sami Zayn. He’s a former NXT Champion, WWE Universal Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE United States Champion, and Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion with Sami Zayn, which made Owens WWE’s 23rd overall Grand Slam Champion.