Kevin Owens became quite noticeable in the WWE Universe shortly after the unveiling of a new champion. KO became absent from WWE shows from March 2025 due to a serious neck injury.
The most recent time he was in the ring for a wrestling event was Elimination Chamber where he challenged Sami Zayn in a non-sanctioned match. He was then scheduled to face Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41, however, due to health issues, he was prevented from appearing on the normal show.
WWE return hints increase amid title change on SmackDown
Following that, his first WWE appearance was on December 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event and he sat front row for John Cena’s final match. He has been training and preparing for his big comeback in 2026, but the timeline has not been confirmed yet.
Nevertheless, the emergence of a new WWE Champion has forced him to look towards WWE. The December 26 episode of Friday Night SmackDown featured United States Champion Ilja Dragunov defending his title against his former tag team partner, Carmelo Hayes. Melo had an Open Challenge match first, but due to outside interference Mad Dragon was easily able to retain the title.
Carmelo Hayes shocked the WWE world
He was at the same time a generous winemaker and gave Hayes a title to demonstrate his skills. The Russian wrestler showed complete dominance in the match with powerful attacks, high flying blows and overhands. The champion was so dominant that the American could not respond.
But he turned the situation around and managed to pin Dragunov for the title. This was his first singles championship on the main roster, marking a major moment in the wrestler’s career moving forward.
Kevin Owens hails Carmelo Hayes’ career-defining win
After the match, Hayes shared a video from WWE depicting the key moments in which he executed the First 48 and Nothing But Net to defeat Dragunov. He also shared a message on social media; You can see it here. Owens caught hold of Hayes’ post and couldn’t stop himself from showing his appreciation for the champion. He said,
“special moments.
The perfect moment.
Congratulations man!”
Hayes ushers in a new era as champion
It marks a significant moment in the career of Hayes, who has already proven himself as a winning wrestler on the main roster. It will definitely be interesting to see this reign unfold and the length of time he will retain the title.
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