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Kevin Owens Undergoes Successful Neck Surgery, Recovery Timeline Unclear

While Kevin Owens is officially on the mend, it's still unclear when or if he'll be able to return to WWE as an active competitor.
Rick Ucchino|
Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens | WWE.com

There's finally some positive news to share on the Kevin Owens injury front.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select is reporting that the former WWE Universal Champion underwent successful neck surgery on Friday to repair the issues that sidelined him ahead of WrestleMania 41.

While KO is now officially on the mend, he's still expected to miss a significant amount of time away from the ring - if he's able to return at all. Nothing is a guarantee in this particular situation.

"Those that we spoke to in WWE at the time of Owens’ injury expected him to miss both WrestleMania 41 and 42," Ross Sapp said in his report Saturday. "One source said that one year is the likely minimum for an injury of this kind, but the reality is that they’re going to see how Kevin Owens heels and what he’s comfortable with as time progresses."

Owens was just days away from facing Randy Orton at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas before he was told by doctors he'd be unable to compete at this year's 'Showcase of the Immortals'.

The Viper ended up facing then TNA World Champion Joe Hendry at WrestleMania 41, beating him in a fun but short contest with an RKO out of nowhere.

All of us at The Takedown on SI wish Kevin Owens the best recovery possible and hope to see him back in the ring some day soon.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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