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Kevin Owens has been away from the ring for several months.
The last time a professional wrestling fan saw him inside the squared circle was weeks before WrestleMania 41, when he announced to the world that he needed neck surgery that would keep him out of action for months.
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WWE Superstars Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens watch the third period of Game Three between the Montreal Canadiens and the Washington Capitals during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Owens has been seen sparingly since then. He has been featured on “WWE LFG” as a trainer and recently appeared on the pre-show for NXT The Great American Bash.
Pakinomist Digital asked one of Owens’ best friends, Sami Zayn, about him in a recent interview ahead of Night of Champions. Zayn said Owens being in a place where he could return to the ring just takes time.
“I don’t want to talk out of school and share his medical stuff,” Zayn said. “The procedure that he had just takes time. He’s going to do his due diligence — do rehab exercises and all that. But it’s really a matter of time when you’re talking about fusions and those kinds of procedures, you just need time to get to where it needs to be.”
Zayn added that any of WWE’s top shows — “Monday Night Raw” or “Friday Night SmackDown” — would see a significant boost in quality from Owens’ presence.
Kevin Owens battles Sami Zayn at WWE Elimination Chamber at the Rogers Center in Toronto, Canada on March 1, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
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“I hope more than anybody, I would think, that he’ll be back soon. I think the fans have really been… I get asked about him a lot. So it’s obvious how loved he is and how much he’s missed,” he said. “It goes without saying that he’s an extremely valuable talent. He’s a one-of-a-kind talent that leaves a hole when you don’t have him on your roster.
“And I think just how much better our show would be with him on it, whether it’s SmackDown or Raw because of what he brings to the table. So I think when he comes (back), I think it’s really going to add just as much depth and dimension and excitement and quality programming to whatever show he lands on. It goes without saying.”
Zayn and Owens have been mainstays in WWE since they each joined WWE.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn celebrate after defeating The Usos for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship during WrestleMania Goes Hollywood at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on April 1, 2023. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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The duo have been tag team champions twice, including beating The Usos for the titles at WrestleMania 39.
