Kevin Owens Expresses Uncertainty in WWE In-Ring Return Following Neck Surgery

Kevin Owens provided an update on his health following neck surgery during an appearance at a NASCAR event this past weekend.

While speaking to reporters (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, KO gave some details on his neck fusion surgery and his outlook in terms of a potential in-ring return:

"Yeah, so it's a neck surgery. I needed neck fusion. It was very stressful going into it, because we weren't really sure how severe the fusion was going to be, how many levels, all this stuff. Thankfully, ended up only being one level, which is the best case scenario for something like this. ...

"The surgery was successful. I had a great doctor. The thing is, now we have to see how the bones fuse, and there's no guarantee that it's going to work. You know, how my body heals. And we'll see. Some guys had success, some guys didn't. Fingers crossed I can come back to wrestling in the next year. Really don't know, though, but yeah, my goal is to come back. So hopefully that's what happens."

Owens, 41, had been scheduled to face Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41 back in April, but on the April 4 episode of SmackDown, he announced that he required neck surgery and would have to pull out of WrestleMania.

In June, Owens appeared on the What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast with fellow WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes and laid out the timeline of the injury and how quickly things progressed.

KO said he underwent an MRI during the first week of April after experiencing symptoms, and he was told by doctors, "Don't even get hit because you might die."

Owens noted that he then waited for his spinal cord to heal as much as it could on his own before going under the knife.

Regardless of whether he is a heel or face, Owens has long been one of WWE's biggest and most popular stars.

He is a former universal champion and tag team champion, as well as a three-time United States champion and two-time intercontinental champion.

Prior to stepping away, Owens was embroiled in rivalries with some of WWE's top guys in Rhodes, Sam Zayn and Orton, which speaks to how highly the creative decision-makers think of him.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Edge are among the legendary stars who managed to return from major neck surgery, and Owens will look to follow in their footsteps if possible.