WWE Rumors on Kevin Owens' Injury Rehab amid Potential Timeline to Return as Royal Rumble Approaches

WWE fans have been holding out hope that Kevin Owens could make his long-awaited return at the Royal Rumble later this month, but it sounds like that's not in the cards.

Owens was forced to miss WrestleMania 41 last year after announcing in April that he suffered a neck injury that required surgery. According to a report from Fightful Select (h/t Steve Carrier of Ringside News), internal sources revealed that Owens didn't undergo surgery until July, and he's yet to return to full-time in-ring training. WWE reportedly "has no creative plans in motion" for Owens' eventual return.

Owens posted a brief training video in November, fueling the hope that he could be gearing up for a potential comeback. The Royal Rumble premium live event will be held on Jan. 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and WWE usually has some surprises in store for the first "Big 4" PLE of the year. However, it appears that Owens won't be one of them.

WWE reportedly is expected to be "taking a cautious, long-term approach with Owens, prioritizing his health over any timeline for a comeback," and there's "a mutual understanding that his eventual comeback will happen on his own terms, and only when he's fully ready."

Owens is one of the most popular wrestlers in the business, so his presence will continue to be missed as WWE embarks on the road to WrestleMania 42.