WWE's Kevin Owens Casts Doubt on Long-Term In-Ring Future

Kevin Owens has been a staple of WWE's main roster for over eight years. The former Ring of Honor World Champion signed with WWE in Summer 2014 and made his developmental debut that December. Within his first year in the company, Owens reigned as NXT Champion, defeated John Cena clean on pay-per-view, and won the Intercontinental Title. Things only trended upwards from there for KO as he won the WWE Universal Championship in August 2016. After a couple of years fluttering in the midcard, Owens reached what is currently the pinnacle of his career when he headlined the Showcase of the Immortals for two consecutive years, wrestling "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at WWE WrestleMania 38 and winning the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships alongside Sami Zayn at WWE WrestleMania 39.

With so many of his career goals checked off, questions have risen regarding what's left for Owens to accomplish in WWE.

"That's a great question. I really don't know," Owens told The Toronto Sun.

Owens is currently out of action with a fractured rib. This is just Owens's second major injury in WWE, with his last coming in Fall 2018. That said, the 38-year-old superstar has noted that his wrestling career is beginning to catch up to him.

"I used to say I don't see myself not being in the ring for another 5-10 years. And if I said it right now, I'd be lying because over the last few months, I have to admit, I don't know if that's true anymore," Owens continued. "I look at things and I don't know where I stand going beyond the next year-and-a-half." 

That "year-and-a-half" timetable sets Owens's WWE contract as expiring in January 2025.

"I know I want to be involved in wrestling. I know I want to be involved in the WWE and I know I have a place here," Owens said of his future. "I just don't know where it is exactly. Maybe it's still in the ring, maybe it's not. I don't know. Whether this is the end for my wrestling, I don't know and I don't want to sound dramatic, I don't want to say this is a retirement speech or anything because I might still be wrestling for 10 years. I have no idea. My thought process right now is just to try to enjoy the next year-and-a-half as much as I possibly can because I don't know what's on the other side."

Could Kevin Owens Join AEW?

Owens previously loomed towards free agency in Winter 2021, but WWE re-signed him before his deal officially expired. There was no explicit interest from AEW prior to his re-signing, but it's likely that the young promotion would've pursued KO had the opportunity presented itself.

"I would have been interested in that," AEW President Tony Khan said regarding interest in Owens after he signed with WWE. "He's a great wrestler. I think he ended up signing for what I believe is probably a lot of money. I think that's great and good for him. We have a lot of people spotlighted here and he's great. Any company he goes to, he'll be a great wrestler for them."

Owens has a number of friends in AEW, both ex-WWE talent as well as stars from his independent days. KO and the Young Bucks have a storied history, as the trio wrestled together in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Ring of Honor for a number of years.