Owens ended his 17-month absence by winning a surprise fatal four-way match to become the new No. 1 contender
Summary
– Kevin Owens made his surprise return after spending 17 months away with a neck injury
– Nick Aldis added GUNTHER and Owens to the scheduled match between Sami Zayn and Finn Bálor
– Owens pinned Zayn following a Stunner to earn an Undisputed WWE Championship opportunity
Kevin Owens made a shocking return at WWE SummerSlam 2026 and immediately earned an opportunity to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Sami Zayn was originally scheduled to face Finn Bálor in a No. 1 contender’s match to open the second night of SummerSlam.
Zayn received the opportunity after failing to qualify for the Undisputed WWE Championship match at Saturday Night’s Main Event. He and GUNTHER lost to CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, preventing the SummerSlam title match from becoming a fatal four-way.
Before the scheduled match began, Nick Aldis interrupted and announced that GUNTHER would be added to the contest. The decision was especially surprising because GUNTHER had defeated Aldis the previous night.
Aldis then introduced a fourth participant as Kevin Owens made his unexpected entrance. The stadium erupted for Owens, who had been sidelined for 17 months because of a neck injury.
Owens immediately showed little sign of ring rust. He attacked all three opponents before coming face-to-face with longtime friend and rival Sami Zayn.
The returning star followed with a cannonball in the corner and a somersault dive onto his opponents outside the ring. GUNTHER and Bálor later exchanged offense as control of the match continued to shift between all four competitors.
Several near falls followed during the unpredictable encounter. GUNTHER applied a sleeper hold while Zayn attempted to deliver a Helluva Kick to Owens. Bálor then connected with a Coup de Grâce on both men, but could not secure the victory.
Owens eventually delivered a Stunner to Zayn and pinned him to win the match.
The victory made Owens the new No. 1 contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship immediately after his return.
With CM Punk retaining the title against Cody Rhodes, Owens is now positioned for an unexpected championship showdown with the Second City Saint.
