Kevin Owens made a surprise return at WWE SummerSlam 2026 on Night 2, ending a 17-month absence caused by a neck injury that had threatened to end his career. Owens underwent neck fusion surgery in July 2025 and spent more than a year recovering before Sunday's comeback.
SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis added Owens and Gunther to a number one contender's match that had originally been advertised between Finn Balor and Sami Zayn. Owens won the fatal four-way, pinning Zayn after a stunner to earn a shot at CM Punk's Undisputed WWE Championship.
The return capped a busy SummerSlam weekend. Roman Reigns retained the World Heavyweight Championship over Seth Rollins in the main event and appeared on Monday's Raw fallout, where Big Cass also returned. WWE confirmed Brie Bella suffered a broken scapula at Night 1, with a recovery expected to take up to six months.