Kevin Owens’ neck injury is far worse than fans initially thought, and surgery is now unavoidable for the former WWE Universal Champion. Speaking on What Do You Wanna Talk About? with Cody Rhodes, Owens revealed that months of pushing through the pain only worsened his condition.
“It sucks, but it is what it is. For months, I thought I could tough it out. The pain would come and go—some days were better, some worse.”
Owens had intended to ‘tough it out’ until last week when his injury proved impossible to ignore. Owens was faced with the somber reality that surgery isn’t an option, but it is now essential.
“Everything caught up with me. The numbness, the weakness… it all hit at once. That’s when I knew—it’s not getting better on its own.”
Owens “can’t wait” to undergo surgery but he didn’t provide a timeline for his return. Earlier this year, Owens shared that Randy Orton has put him in touch with the surgeon who saved the Viper from retirement due to back issues.
It remains to be seen when Kevin Owens will wrestle again, but one thing is for certain: the Prizefighter is through taking his health for granted.