Kevin Owens returns to WWE after 17 months, vows to give his all

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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 2: Kevin Owens in action against Finn Balor during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 2, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images) | WWE via Getty Images One of the best moments of the weekend WWE just had in Minneapolis, Minnesota for SummerSlam featured Kevin Owens making his long awaited return to the company. He’s been out for some 17 months, dealing with a neck issue that was severe enough that it could very well have cost him his career. We know that now because he straight up said it on the SummerSlam post-show when talking about everything that led up to his return. “There was a moment where I thought it wasn’t going to happen, and I definitely did not make peace with it because I was not ready,” he told Big E. “You know getting this taken away from you when you’re not ready is hard but I had such a great group around me to support me through it, my wife, my kids, my parents, that got me through all of this. My friends, the WWE medical staff, even you, I would talk to you a lot. But I was never okay with it. “Honestly, up to a month ago, I was like ‘this may be it.’ We kept doing scans, it kept not showing what we were hoping for as far as the healing process from the surgery. Then I was like ‘well, I don’t know, maybe it’s just not gonna happen.‘ Then a few weeks ago we did a scan and we finally saw what we needed to see.” He went out and tore the house down in the match he came back for, a surprise entrant in the number one contender’s bout against GUNTHER, Finn Balor, and his old friend Sami Zayn. He looked like the Owens we’ve always known and loved, nothing held back. He plans to keep it that way. "I am giving everything I have, ALWAYS" 🙌@FightOwensFight promises the WWE Universe to give this run his all!! pic.twitter.com/g66bSLUyof — WWE (@WWE) August 3, 2026 “I’m not back to half ass this stuff. I’ve been told by everyone, the WWE medical staff, my family, everybody, even my surgeon: ‘please be careful.’ I told all of them ‘okay, I’ll be careful.‘ I’m never being careful. I am giving everything I have, always. If that means I’m done in two years, it means I’m done in two years but we’re gonna have a blast for two years. Hopefully it’s longer than that but you’re never getting less than everything I have, I promise you that.” Before ending his time on the post-show, he made sure to shout out the folks who helped him along his journey. And then, in an even more touching moment, he shouted out Rebel in her battle against ALS. What a guy. It sure is good to have him back.