The in-ring future of WWE Superstar Kevin Owens is facing significant uncertainty following a severe escalation in symptoms related to a spinal cord injury, which has now forced a delay in his necessary neck surgery.
According to a report on Wrestling Observer Radio, the procedure has been pushed to mid-July as doctors wait for significant swelling around his spinal cord to subside. The decision was made to allow the area to heal as much as possible on its own, which will help specialists determine the full extent of the required surgery. Owens himself hopes for a normal neck fusion, but the possibility of a more complex procedure remains.
This development follows what was described as a brutal week for Owens, who experienced a dramatic increase in symptoms. These included pain radiating down his arms and his legs not responding properly, which are characteristic of a serious spinal cord issue.
Everything had been fine till I guess about a week ago, and then all of a sudden, he got symptoms he would expect somebody with spinal cord injury to have. Pain in the neck, going down the arms, legs not really responding—all happening in the last week. It’s been brutal. And he cannot wait for surgery.
The injury stems from trauma that occurred in January 2025. Despite the issue, Owens continued to compete in high-profile matches, including a ladder match against Cody Rhodes at the Royal Rumble and an unsanctioned bout against Sami Zayn at Elimination Chamber. However, an MRI in early April revealed the severity of the damage, leading to his indefinite hiatus announced on the April 4 episode of SmackDown.
The prognosis for his return remains guarded. Dave Meltzer noted that while there is a best-case surgical scenario, a return to the ring is not guaranteed.
There is a surgery best case scenario where it wouldn’t be a year, but in most cases with, you know, with neck surgery, with wrestlers, it’s, you know, 15 months, you know, in that range. So it’s… it’s going to be a long time, and it’s not like 100% that he’ll be able to return, but hopefully… hopefully he will be able to return.
This timeline suggests a potential return in 2026 at the earliest, sidelining Owens for a lengthy period as he focuses on his health.