Kevin Owens deserves his flowers ahead of long WWE hiatus

WWE superstar Kevin Owens announced last week that due to a neck injury that will require surgery, he will miss WrestleMania 41 and will be unable to compete against Randy Orton in Las Vegas.

For the majority of fans, this is a pretty big blow to the card. While there’s still a lot to enjoy across Saturday and Sunday, Kevin Owens vs Randy Orton felt like the kind of match that was getting a really nice, strong build. It was a tale that made sense, and both men have been firing on all cylinders for months now – Owens especially.

But now that we know it’s not going to happen, it does feel like this is a good opportunity to take a step back and really appreciate just how good Kevin Owens is. His in-ring style was always intense and exciting to watch and while it’s unfortunate that it’s now starting to catch up with him, it’s also a testament to how much he has been willing to sacrifice over the years.

Good old Kevin Owens

Someone of Kevin Owens’ ability would’ve always been able to reach the very top of the industry, but in an era where Vince McMahon was in charge, it felt unlikely that he’d be able to really breakthrough. Now, he’s known as a former world champion, a multiple-time champion of other titles, and a two-time WrestleMania main eventer.

He had the opportunity to test the waters elsewhere, but he wanted to secure a future for his family – and also prove that he was capable of being ‘the guy’ in WWE.

He can talk, he can work, and he’s been up there with Drew McIntyre as two of the best heel characters in recent memory in professional wrestling. Hopefully, we get to see him get back in there sooner rather than later.