The build for a story at WrestleMania can often take months or even years to build. This often leads to some of the best moments of the entire year.
Unfortunately, real life can sometimes rear its ugly head and get in the way of what the fans and wrestlers want to happen.
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Such is the case with Kevin Owens, who will no longer be participating in WrestleMania 41.
WWE Superstar Kevin Owens officially announced on Friday Night SmackDown that he will no longer be facing Randy Orton at the Showcase of the Immortals.
Owens revealed he had been suffering from a “very serious neck injury” that he has been dealing with for months and it will unfortunately require surgery.
Owens then revealed that he didn’t know when he would be able to return to the ring.
Orton then approached the ring and proceeded to hit SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis with an RKO, causing some fans to think this could potentially become the match at WrestleMania.
Everyone here at Newsweek Sports wishes Owens a safe and speedy recovery.
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Owens remains one of the most beloved wrestlers currently on the WWE roster, known for his commitment, timing, and consistency over more than a decade with the company.
Owens began his professional wrestling career under the name Kevin Steen, where he would wrestle for well-known independent promotions like Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), and Ring of Honor (ROH).
Owens was particularly well-regarded for his time in ROH, facing off against the likes of Adam Pearce, Nigel McGuinness (Nick Aldis), Tyler Black (Seth Rollins), and El Generico (Sami Zayn).
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In 2014, Owens made his debut in WWE NXT, where he would quickly win the NXT Championship. He showed up on the main roster in 2015, answering John Cena’s United States Championship Open Challenge. He would eventually defeat Cena in a non-title match at Elimination Chamber.
Owens has remained a fixture of the promotion ever since, winning the WWE Universal Championship once, the Intercontinental Championship twice, and the United States Championship three times.
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