While Kevin Owens had successful fusion surgery on his spine recently, the former WWE Universal Champion says a return to the ring is not a guarantee.
“It was very stressful going into it, because we weren’t really sure how severe the fusion was going to be,” Owens told Scotte Sprinkle before a recent appearance at the NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400. “How many levels, all this stuff. Thankfully, it ended up only being one level, which is the best-case scenario for something like this.
“The surgery was successful. I had a great doctor. The thing is, now, we have to see how the bones fuse, and there’s no guarantee that it’s gonna work. Some guys had success. Some guys didn’t. Fingers crossed, I get to come back to wrestling in the next year. I really don’t know, though. My goal is to come back. Hopefully that’s what happens.”
Just weeks before WrestleMania 41, Owens revealed that he would be unable to compete at the yearly mega event after medical tests revealed a serious issue with his spine. And that the dreaded procedure of spinal fusion would be necessary to improve his long-term quality of life and give him a chance to continue his wrestling career.
The seven-time WWE titlist waited several months to let his body heal further before finally undergoing the procedure. WWE greats like Steve Austin and Edge have successfully returned to the ring following a similar procedure. If he can return the ring, a comeback at next year’s Survivor Series seems possible.
