Kevin Owens Addresses In-Ring Future Following Neck Fusion Surgery

Kevin Owens announced back in April that he needed neck surgery and he would go under the knife last month. Now that he’s on the road to recovery, Owens has addressed his in-ring future.

While speaking at the “2025 Coke Zero Sugar 400” NASCAR event, Kevin Owens talked about his recent neck surgery and the uncertainty of when, or if, he can return to wrestling. His goal is to make a full comeback, but there is no clear timeline yet.

The Prizefighter explained that the process leading up to the surgery was stressful because doctors weren’t sure how serious the damage was or how many levels of his neck would need to be fused. In the end, only one level required fusion, which was considered the best possible outcome.

“Yeah, so it’s a neck surgery. I needed neck fusion. It was very stressful going into it, because we weren’t really sure how severe the fusion was going to be, how many levels, all this stuff. Thankfully, ended up only being one level, which is the best case scenario for something like this.”

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Although the surgery itself went well, Kevin Owens said the real challenge is recovery. The bones need to fuse properly, and there is no guarantee that his body will heal the way it should.

Some wrestlers have had success after this type of procedure, while others have not. He is hoping that within the next year, he can return to the ring. But for now, everything depends on how his recovery goes.

“The surgery was successful. I had a great doctor. The thing is, now we have to see how the bones fuse, and there’s no guarantee that it’s going to work. You know, how my body heals. And we’ll see. Some guys had success, some guys didn’t. Fingers crossed I can come back to wrestling in the next year. Really don’t know, though, but yeah, my goal is to come back. So hopefully that’s what happens.”

This comes after Kevin Owens already confirmed he’s working with several specialists for his neck. So it’s pretty clear that the Prizefighter has a long road to recovery and a lot of hurdles to cross, but fans will continue to give him their best and pray he is able to return to the ring as soon as possible. So all we can do is hope for the best in the meantime.

Do you think Kevin Owens will be able to return to WWE in 2026, and if he does, who should be his first big feud? Sound off in the comments.