Kevin Owens contract update ahead of major WWE Crown Jewel match - Reports
WWE Superstar Kevin Owens has been suspended following his recent actions. His suspension will be lifted at Crown Jewel, where he will lock horns with 14-time World Champion Randy Orton. However, ahead of the premium live event, several rumors regarding The Prizefighter's contract re-signing have been making rounds.
In May 2024, the 40-year-old claimed his contract was due to expire in nine months. Despite Owens' being an integral part of SmackDown and AEW's keen interest in the star, there has been no official announcement regarding his contract extension.
Heading into the upcoming Saudi Arabia premium live event, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select recently answered several questions, including the query regarding Kevin Owens' contract situation. Wrestlevotes recently reported that the former Universal Champion was close to re-signing, while Dave Meltzer said Owens might have quietly re-signed.
Sean Ross Sapp claimed he heard WWE had approached Kevin Owens over a month ago. He added that the wrestling promotion wants to sign the veteran performer to a long-term deal. The global juggernaut further doesn't want Owens to hit free agency, considering AEW's interest in him.
WWE Hall of Famer predicts Kevin Owens will cost Cody Rhodes his Crown Jewel match against Gunther
Cody Rhodes will lock horns with Gunther in a Champion vs Champion match for the newly unveiled WWE Crown Jewel Title. Wrestling veteran Bully Ray made a bold claim ahead of the clash scheduled for the upcoming premium live event.
Speaking on a recent edition of the Busted Open podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer predicted The Ring General would emerge victorious to become the inaugural Crown Jewel Champion following interference from Kevin Owens. Bully Ray added it would perfectly set up a face-off between the two friends turned foes for the following edition of either RAW or SmackDown.
"I think at the Saudi show, neither one can get the win clean. My personal opinion is, the way out of it, little chicanery, maybe a ref bump or behind the ref's back, something, something. [...] [Kevin] Owens interferes. It's quick. Owens and Cody have the animosity. Gunther gets the win [and] raises the championship above his head. The next week, RAW or SmackDown, now we're off to the races with Kevin and Cody," he said. [From 19:26 to 19:55]
You can check out Bully Ray's comments in the video below:
Cody Rhodes successfully defended his title against Kevin Owens earlier this year at WWE Bash in Berlin. It will be interesting to see how The American Nightmare would fare against a heel KO.