Kevin Owens underwent neck fusion, awaiting return to WWE

Kevin Owens, the former WWE Universal Champion, said he underwent a neck fusion procedure in July and is waiting to see whether he can return to the ring, speaking to reporters after his appearance as grand marshal at NASCAR's Coke Zero Sugar 400 in Daytona over the weekend. Owens confirmed the surgery was successful but cautioned that the critical next step is whether the fused vertebrae heal properly, a process that will determine his timetable and possibly his future in professional wrestling.

"I needed neck fusion. It was very stressful going into it, because we weren't really sure how severe the fusion was going to be, how many levels, all this stuff," Owens said, according to a transcription by Scotte Sprinkle. He added that the operation involved only a single level, "which is the best case scenario for something like this," and praised his surgeon. "The thing is, now we have to see how the bones fuse, and there's no guarantee that it's going to work. Some guys had success, some guys didn't. Fingers crossed I get to come back to wrestling in the next year. Really don't know, though. My goal is to come back, so hopefully that's what happens."