Kevin Owens Looks Almost Unrecognizable During WWE Hiatus

Kevin Owens is enjoying his time at home.

The Prizefighter has been absent from WWE since April 2025, primarily due to a serious neck injury. The injury was so severe that it required neck fusion surgery, which has kept him off TV for most of the year.​

Recently, fans caught a glimpse of Owens during a date night with his wife, Karina, where he was photographed with a notably different, grizzled look: longer beard, salt-and-pepper hair. This new appearance suggests Owens is embracing his downtime while dealing with his injury.

Check out a screen grab of Karina’s IG story below.

Owens publicly shared his concerns and frustrations in interviews, revealing his stress about the injury and the long recovery ahead. WWE also had big plans for him before his injury, which now seem on hold.

Speaking of which, a few weeks ago, Fightful Select reported that Kevin Owens will probably miss WrestleMania 42, which will take place on Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, 2026, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, because of his injury recovery.

Kevin Owens had an interview with NASCAR’s 2025 Coke Zero Sugar 400, where he opened up about his neck fusion surgery. He stated his surgery was successful, but he has some doubts regarding how well his body will respond to the treatment.

“The surgery was successful. I had a great doctor. The thing is, now we have to see how the bones fuse, and there’s no guarantee that it’s going to work. You know, how my body heals. And we’ll see. Some guys had success, some guys didn’t. Fingers crossed, I can come back to wrestling in the next year. Really don’t know, though, but yeah, my goal is to come back. So hopefully that’s what happens.”

Still, fans are hopeful he’ll return stronger and healthier in the near future, but for now, Owens is focusing on his recovery and spending precious time with family.