WWE superstar Kevin Owens has given fans a direct Kevin Owens neck injury update, revealing ongoing struggles and uncertainty about upcoming surgery during a recent appearance on Cody Rhodes’ podcast. Owens has been sidelined since his April announcement on WWE SmackDown, with his health status drawing significant interest as he waits to learn if natural healing will be enough—or if surgery is unavoidable.
Owens Shares New Details on His Neck Injury and Pending Surgery
Owens discussed the origins and impact of his neck injury on the latest episode of Cody Rhodes’ podcast, So What Do You Wanna Talk About?, emphasizing that the last week had been particularly difficult despite months of relative comfort. After his April 4 SmackDown appearance, Owens confirmed he would miss WrestleMania 41 while he considered neck surgery. Last month, he updated fans via social media, saying that doctors were still evaluating the best approach and that he had not yet undergone the procedure.
In the conversation with Rhodes, Owens described the current treatment plan: letting his spinal cord heal naturally as much as possible before surgery.
“It’s been such a frustrating process,”
Owens admitted.—Kevin Owens, WWE Superstar. He elaborated further,
“We’re letting my spinal cord heal as much as we can on its own before we go in for the surgery because how extensive the surgery will be depends on how my spinal cord looks when we go in there.”
—Kevin Owens, WWE Superstar.
Owens explained that he and his doctors are holding off on the procedure until mid-July, allowing time to reassess the injury’s state and decide on the extent of surgical intervention.
“We’re waiting till mid-July to do the surgery,”
Owens said.—Kevin Owens, WWE Superstar.
“Hopefully, it’s a normal neck fusion. It might not be, we don’t know.”
—Kevin Owens, WWE Superstar.
Although he initially experienced little pain after his injury, Owens reported that the past week has marked a dramatic shift. He described,
“So since then, I felt fine. My neck’s been fine. I’m not in pain. I have no symptoms of what you would expect somebody with spinal cord injury have to have,”
demonstrating the unpredictable nature of recovery.—Kevin Owens, WWE Superstar.
However, the situation worsened quickly.
“In the last week, for some reason, the symptoms all came in one shot. Every symptom you’d expect me to have, the pain in the neck, the stuff going down the arms, the legs not really responding, it’s all been happening. So it’s been pretty f–king brutal. I can’t wait for the surgery. And then to move forward, whatever that looks like but it’s been very frustrating.”
—Kevin Owens, WWE Superstar. This candid update has added a sense of urgency and uncertainty as he approaches a crucial decision about his future in WWE.
Recounting the Desert Dune Buggy Accident with Cathy Kelley and Jamie Noble
Alongside the neck injury discussion, Owens also recounted a harrowing dune buggy accident in Saudi Arabia that involved WWE personalities Cathy Kelley and Jamie Noble. The story first surfaced in a B4TheBell interview with Kelley last November, where she credited Owens with quick thinking that may have protected her from serious harm.
Describing the event to Rhodes, Owens said,
“If you wanna take a tumble in the desert in a golf cart with people, Jamie Noble, Cathy Kelley, best people you could do it with.”
—Kevin Owens, WWE Superstar. He shared how they were enjoying their ride when things took a dangerous turn, and he noticed Kelley, unlike others, hadn’t been briefed on safety protocols in the event of a rollover.
“Going through the dunes, great time, amazing time. And then as we go up a dune, I see the buggy in front of us, almost go. And in my head, I go, ‘Oh, we’re gonna go.’ And as we start going, in my head, I go, Cathy doesn’t know how to keep her f–king hands in. So I just reached around and grabbed her arms and as we’re rolling, I’m holding on to her.”
—Kevin Owens, WWE Superstar.
After the accident, Owens humbly downplayed his role as a lifesaver, but he ensured Cathy was as safe as possible as their vehicle overturned in the desert.
“I didn’t save her life, I didn’t save her arms, but I tried to make sure she was safe. And then both of us experienced this incredible thing, which is we’re upside down in the golf cart, there’s sand pouring down our face, our ears, everything. And all we hear is Jamie Noble going, ‘My ribs, my ribs, my ribs, my ribs, ahhh…I’m okay.”
—Kevin Owens, WWE Superstar. This vivid tale underscores Owens’ protective instincts and camaraderie with his WWE colleagues.
Candid Thoughts on Tag Team Dynamics with Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes
During the same podcast, Owens and Rhodes took a moment to discuss their working relationships with Sami Zayn and other WWE stars. Their comments highlighted the highs and frustrations of teaming with Zayn, especially regarding last-minute creative changes. Nevertheless, Owens was quick to credit Sami’s energy for keeping their run as tag team champions lively after WrestleMania 39.
Looking back on their time as champions, Owens reflected,
“When we were Tag Team Champions, we had a bit of a sh-t run. I remember before we won the titles, we kept saying we just hope we can live up to the Usos, what the Usos did, and we didn’t. But our role as Tag Team Champions at the time was closing out Raw, and it didn’t matter. Raw is a long show, three hours, make sure they’re awake by the end. And dude, we wrestled Judgment Day about 17 times in a row. We had them rocking every time. And 95 percent of that credit for that goes to Sami.”
—Kevin Owens, WWE Superstar.
Owens and Rhodes joked that Damian Priest takes these creative adjustments hardest, illustrating the behind-the-scenes pressures on WWE superstars.
“No one hates that process more than Damian Priest. He will, oh my God, I’ve seen him lose it,”
recounted Owens, adding,
“And then we come back and they’re like, ‘It worked.’”
—Kevin Owens, WWE Superstar.
Matt Riddle also weighed in during a Going Ringside appearance earlier this year, echoing that working with Owens and Zayn could be a unique challenge:
“It’s hard to put a complete sentence together with those guys”
—Matt Riddle, WWE Superstar.
Evolving Uncertainty and Emotional Challenges Ahead
The latest Kevin Owens neck injury update leaves WWE fans and colleagues in suspense as Owens faces both physical hurdles and emotional strain. With his mid-July surgery decision looming, the recent “brutal” symptoms have added urgency to a challenging recovery journey. Owens’ openness about his setbacks and frustrations reveals the intense pressures superstars endure outside the ring, while also shedding light on vivid backstage moments with Cathy Kelley, Jamie Noble, Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, Damian Priest, and Matt Riddle. The outcome of his surgery and his eventual return will not only affect his own career but could also influence WWE storylines and the future landscape of tag team competition.
