In a devastating blow to WWE's WrestleMania 41 card, Kevin Owens has revealed details about the serious neck injury that will prevent him from competing at the company's biggest showcase of the year. Known for his balls-to-the-wall in-ring style, Owens shared how this unexpected setback has impacted his plans.
Owens recently explained on "My Mom's Basement" that he had been working through pain for months before doctors discovered the true extent of his injury.
"It sucks, the timing sucks for sure," Owens said. "Over the last few months, I've had an issue in my matches that made me go, I think something's not right. And then we looked into it and found out that, yeah there's something going on with my neck."
For wrestlers, WrestleMania represents not just the biggest payday but also the chance to create career-defining moments in front of enormous crowds. Owens had been building momentum through compelling programs with top stars, like Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes, making this timing particularly cruel.
"When the WWE doctor called me to tell me about it, I was so shocked, because I knew there was something wrong, but I didn't expect it to be so wrong that you can't even do WrestleMania," he recalled. "I thought, yeah we'll take care of it after WrestleMania. When he told me I couldn't do it, I was so shocked that I stopped listening to him almost. Honestly, right now, I can't even sit here and tell you that I know what the next step is, but I know ... the solution is very similar to what other people have done."
This isn't the first time neck injuries have sidelined top WWE talent. Stars like Edge, Steve Austin, and more recently Big E have all faced similar challenges. Some returned to action while others were forced to retire.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the "My Mom's Basement" podcast and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.
