Kevin Owens returns in a fighting mood at WWE SummerSlam, earns No 1 contender spot for undisputed title

WWE star Sami Zayn talks to Fox News Digital about Kevin Owens getting back into the ring.

SummerSlam Night 2 was set to start with a No. 1 contender match for the Undisputed WWE Championship between Sami Zayn and Finn Balor. Both competitors had more than earned the right to vie for their next shot at the biggest prize in the company.

However, neither of them came away with the victory.

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

Kevin Owens looks on during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 2, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

Nick Aldis, who was reinstated as SmackDown’s general manager following his loss to Gunther in Night 1, made an executive decision to add "The Ring General" to the match. He wasn’t done there. Aldis said there was one more person he was going to add to the match.

It was Kevin Owens.

After nearly 16 months on the shelf with a serious neck injury, Owens made a triumphant return. The crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis nearly shattered the glass in the building. Better yet, Owens looked just as good as he did when he needed to step away from the ring.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are in action during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 2, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

Owens immediately went after Balor and Gunther while Zayn stood in the ring shocked. The two embraced before they started to exchange blows. Owens put his neck to the test with running sentons and a swanton from the top rope onto the three competitors.

Gunther tried his hardest to get his opponents to tap out with multiple submission maneuvers. In the end, it would come down to Zayn and Owens. Zayn hit a Blue Thunder Bomb