Kevin Owens Hints At Retirement After WWE Contract Expires

Current Undisputed WWE Tag Team champion gets introspective in new interview.

by Michael Sidgwick
Kevin Owen quits
WWE.com

In an interview with the Toronto Sun, WWE's Kevin Owens hinted that he might wind down his in-ring career after his contract expires. It is believed that has a year and a half left to run on it. Owens said (h/t f4wonline.com):

"I used to say I don't see myself not being in the ring for another five to 10 years. And if I said it right now, I'd be lying because over the last few months, I have to admit, I don't know if that's true anymore. I know I want to be involved in the WWE and I know I have a place here. I just don't know where it is exactly. Maybe it's still in the ring, maybe it's not."

Owens has had a more punishing time of it than most. While his outstanding body of work should not be reduced to a series of demented, committed bumps - the man is responsible for some of the most emotional moments in modern WWE history - he has nonetheless taken some gnarly punishment over the years, even in throwaway TV matches. Known for absorbing some of the most brutal ladder bumps in all of wrestling, Owens as Kevin Steen also worked - for years - an intense, violent style in Ring Of Honor.

The toll he is feeling may not be purely physical, to clarify. Who knows? Gauging by his comments, the man himself is not entirely sure. One thing that is certain is Owens' ascension to an unqualified WWE great. His run between 2022 and 2023 in particular has elevated him into a rarified stratosphere.

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If he does hang up the boots in 2025, he'll leave behind an excellent legacy.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!