Kevin Owens used part of his emotional SummerSlam return interview to put the spotlight on something much bigger than wrestling.
While speaking during the SummerSlam post-show, Owens gave a heartfelt shoutout to Tanea Brooks, better known to wrestling fans as Rebel, as she continues her battle with terminal ALS. Owens explained that Rebel’s strength during the fight has stayed with him and helped inspire him during his own difficult road back to WWE.
“There’s somebody called Tanea Brooks, who’s known to wrestling fans as Rebel. She has not wrestled here, but some things are bigger than wrestling.”
Owens then praised the way Rebel has continued pushing forward despite everything she is facing.
“She’s currently battling ALS, and the way she’s doing it is so incredible. I looked at her and what she was going through, and the way she powered through it was truly inspirational.”
The message came during a major night for Owens, who made his surprise WWE return at SummerSlam after a lengthy absence. Instead of keeping the attention entirely on himself, KO made sure Rebel’s name and story reached an even bigger audience. AEW will also honor Rebel with a special event titled “Rebel Heart” on September 9.
Owens’ SummerSlam return was one of the loudest moments of the night, but his decision to use that platform to support Rebel gave the post-show interview an even deeper meaning.
What did you think about Kevin Owens using his return interview to show support for Rebel? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
