Word started going around online yesterday (April 3) about an injury to a top WWE star that could cause their planned WrestleMania 41 match to be pulled from the card.
Today, PWN reported that the star in question is Kevin Owens. Per the outlet, “Owens is dealing with an undisclosed injury with no timetable set for a return to action.” They go on to say his match with Randy Orton for April 19-20 in Las Vegas is “in jeopardy”. Regarding what Orton will do if KO isn’t cleared, PWN says “no pivot has been made for Orton yet.”
Others have since chimed in adding to and corroborating PWN’s report. Cory Hayes of Bodyslam.net and Sportskeeda’s Chris Featherstone are among those saying Owens will address his status on the April 4 SmackDown. That could explain why WWE is only promoting a Naomi vs. B-Fab match for tonight as of this writing; their online preview makes no mention of the Braun Strowman/Jacob Fatu Last Man Standing Match or Rey Fenix’s debut, both of which were announced last week.
It doesn’t sound like we’re gonna like what Kevin has to say. Both Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer and a pretty reliable redditor who goes by “kerrmit” are both calling the injury significant. For what it’s worth, “kerrmit” says KO will need surgery.
Owens hasn’t wrestled since his brutal unsanctioned match with Sami Zayn at Elimination Chamber, but has been on SmackDown since to build to a match with Orton — who returned at Elimination Chamber to kick off their ‘Mania feud.
Confusing the situation a bit is an interview Owens did with The Ringer’s Cousin Sal on Tuesday, where he sounded like he was full speed ahead for the Showcase of the Immortals:
“It’s actually a real thrill to be at WrestleMania against Randy Orton, a guy I looked up to and watched for so long. It’s just too bad I’m gonna have to put him in a wheelchair there.”
Of course, at that point KO may have been hoping he could work through the injury or delay surgery until after WrestleMania 41. The reports certainly could have started to come out when he got the bad news after appearing on the Against All Odds podcast. Or maybe the bad news came in the form of a recommendation rather than an edict, and the Prizefighter will “gut it out” on Easter weekend before taking time off to deal with whatever’s wrong.
We’ll know more after tonight’s SmackDown, it seems. Stay tuned.
