Kevin Owens made a surprise return from a neck injury at WWE SummerSlam, inserting himself into the Night 2 opener and pinning Sami Zayn to claim the number one contender's spot for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The match had originally been billed as a straightforward number one contender bout between Zayn and Finn Balor, both of whom had earned the opportunity through their recent performances, but Owens' unexpected involvement changed the outcome and denied either man the win.

Owens, who had been sidelined by a serious neck injury, returned looking to make an immediate statement rather than ease back into competition gently. By pinning Zayn, he bypassed the planned Zayn-versus-Balor showdown and instead positioned himself as the next challenger for WWE's top title, setting up a fresh storyline heading into future events.