The long-awaited showdown between Kevin Owens and Randy Orton should wait longer. On Friday, Owens introduced he was out of WrestleMania 41 with a neck damage. 

Owens took the microphone on WWE SmackDown on Friday, confirming earlier hypothesis of his damage. The WWE famous person has been coping with a critical neck damage for 4 months. A physician not too long ago knowledgeable Owens that he’d require surgical procedure to appropriate the problem.

“The reality is, I do not know once I’ll have the privilege to be in entrance of you guys once more,” Owens mentioned. “What I do know is the previous few years, I’ve discovered to not take something as a right, and I’ll by no means take this for granted. So need to say thanks, and I am sorry, guys.”

Owens has not wrestled a televised match since Jan. 24, however had a pair of bodily grueling pay-per-view matches whereas injured. His ladder match towards Cody Rhodes on the Royal Rumble and unsanctioned match with Sami Zayn at Elimination Chamber have been lauded for his or her physicality. 

Owens’ damage places Orton’s WrestleMania 41 standing in limbo. WWE has labored in the direction of Orton vs. Owens for 5 months. Owens turned on his tag crew companion Orton in November, hitting him with a bundle piledriver. Orton was written off tv earlier than returning at March’s Elimination Chamber.

A annoyed Orton reacted to his match cancellation by RKOing SmackDown common supervisor Nick Aldis, presumably planting the seeds for a storytelling pivot.

WrestleMania 41 takes place in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 19 and Sunday, April 20. CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins headlines Night time 1. Undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena headlines Night time 2.