Matt Hardy thinks the best decision WWE made about Kevin Owens’ return was keeping it off the advertising.
Owens came back on night two of SummerSlam, pinning Sami Zayn in a four-way that also included Finn Balor and Gunther to become number one contender to CM Punk. It was his first match in 17 months, following neck fusion surgery in July last year, and he had not been advertised for the show.
Speaking on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, he welcomed the return and then singled out how it was handled.
“Great to see Kevin back. Great to see Kevin healthy. Great to know that he still got fuel left in the tank and he’s still going to be out there killing it and making himself a legend. Very happy to see him back.”
“And I thought it was a very cool way to do it, especially as a surprise. I like the fact that they didn’t advertise him, and he showed as a surprise. I think it made the moment much more real, and it made it much more emotional as well.”
Owens has since described a difficult recovery, including damage to his spinal cord and being told there was a chance of lasting effects. He was cleared in early July and got back in a ring on July 18, a year to the day after the operation.
On the match that now looks likely, Hardy saw plenty in it.
“They’re both great promos. They’re both really good at their storytelling, especially with how they address their opposition. They’re both solid in the ring. They’re both very, very smart wrestlers. So yeah, I think there is a ton of potential in that one.”
Nothing has been announced. Punk retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes on night one, and Owens is next in line.
