During the April 4th, 2025 episode of WWE SmackDown, it was announced that the scheduled WWE WrestleMania 41 match between Randy Orton and Kevin Owens was canceled due to Owens requiring neck surgery. Owens later confirmed he successfully underwent neck fusion surgery in July 2025.
Recovery Progress and WWE’s Optimism for Owens’ Return
Insider information shared with Bodyslam.net revealed that Owens is due for a medical re-evaluation during the summer of 2026 to assess his healing progress. WWE remains hopeful about Owens making a return to the ring sometime next year, pending his recovery.
Owens Shares Perspective on Healing and Return Timeline
The thing is now we have to see how the bones fuse, and there’s no guarantee that it’s going to work. It’s all my body heals, and we’ll see. Some guys had success, some guys didn’t. Fingers crossed, I get to come back to wrestling in the next year.
– Kevin Owens
Owens’ cautious optimism reflects the uncertainties involved with spinal surgery recovery, emphasizing the need for patience as his condition is closely monitored. This update suggests that fans may have to wait until 2026 or later for Owens to resume WWE appearances, marking a significant moment for both the wrestler and WWE’s roster moving forward.
