Former WWE Champion to return to battle The Prizefighter? 3 Potential opponents for Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 41

The unhinged and violent Kevin Owens is one of WWE's top superstars. KO recently challenged Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship in a Ladder Match at the Royal Rumble. After once again failing in his quest for championship gold, Owens attacked Sami Zayn on the RAW after the PLE, flooring his fellow Canadian with a Package Piledriver.

KO's Road to WrestleMania 41 remains unclear. He has made quite a few foes on the main roster, and one of them may end up facing the former Universal Champion at The Show of Shows. Without further ado, let's look at three potential opponents for Mr. Wrestling at the 41st annual sports entertainment extravaganza!

#3. WWE legend Randy Orton may return to get revenge on Kevin Owens

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The Viper hasn't appeared live on WWE programming since KO took him out with a Piledriver on the November 8, 2024, edition of SmackDown. This brutal assault from The Prizefighter led to Orton being placed on a stretcher and departing the KeyBank Center via an ambulance.

Orton and Owens were scheduled to battle at Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on November 2, 2024. However, the match never officially started, as KO attacked The Viper with a chair and Stunned the referee before the bell rang. Kevin ended his brawl with the former WWE Champion via an elbow drop through a table.

At last year's WrestleMania, Logan Paul successfully defended his United States Championship against KO and Orton in a Triple Threat Match. In 2025, it's possible that The Viper and The Prizefighter may battle each other again at The Show of Shows, but this time in a one-on-one grudge match. Considering the rivalry's strong violence and animosity, their potential 'Mania match should have a stipulation that fits the feud, such as a Street Fight, an Ambulance Match, a Stretcher Match, or First Blood.

Orton will predictably seek revenge on KO sometime in the future. If he can return in time for WrestleMania, both men have the makings for a slobberknocker at The Showcase of The Immortals.

#2. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens could bring their epic rivalry to WrestleMania 41

Kevin Owens has reignited a long-standing rivalry with his frenemy Sami Zayn, claiming that his motives are tied to Zayn not interfering on his behalf during the Ladder Match against Cody and coming to the aid of KO's archrival, Roman Reigns, in the past. Wrestling fans were first exposed to the Owens vs. Zayn feud during their Ring of Honor days from 2009 to 2012, when KO was referred to as Kevin Steen and The Underdog from The Underground was known as El Generico.

According to SmackDown's play-by-play commentator Joe Tessitore, Zayn is reportedly "out of action indefinitely" following a Package Piledriver from KO on the February 3, 2025, edition of Monday Night RAW. The red brand's veteran play-by-play commentator, Michael Cole, would later state that Zayn had sustained spinal compression and extreme nerve damage. KO's attack on Zayn resulted in the four-time WWE Intercontinental Champion being placed on a stretcher, much like Randy Orton.

This year's Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event is scheduled to take place in Canada, the home country of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. If Sami isn't well enough to battle Owens in Toronto, WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas might be the perfect place to feature their in-ring showdown.

Owens and Sami have a shared history at 'Mania both as opponents and tag team partners. In 2021, then-heel Sami Zayn was defeated by the then-babyface Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 37. At 2023's Showcase of The Immortals, KO and The Underdog from The Underground won the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship by defeating The Usos during the main event of Night One.

Sami Zayn was The Prizefighter's first major rival in WWE after KO turned heel and assaulted his fellow Canadian, who had just captured the NXT Championship from Adrian Neville at 2014's NXT TakeOver: R Evolution. Two months later, Owens would defeat Zayn for his first championship in WWE, winning the NXT Title at TakeOver: Rival in February 2015. In April 2025, will we see these two rivals battle once again under the bright lights of WrestleMania?

#1. WWE SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis could make his WWE in-ring debut at WrestleMania 41

The blue brand's sheriff, Nick Aldis, has previously expressed interest in returning to the ring, and his first match in WWE could be against a wrestler who he has suspended multiple times since becoming SmackDown GM.

Aldis expressed interest in an in-ring return during an interview with Chris Van Vliet on INSIGHT a few months ago. Nick revealed that he wouldn't be at peace ending his wrestling career. The former two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion indicated that he'd be ready to wrestle again if and when WWE's creative team comes calling for him to make an in-ring comeback.

“If and when the time comes, it’ll be what they want, and it will hopefully be the right time. I just told them that if you want to do that, I’m ready!" he said.

Nick Aldis reintroduced KO to the blue brand after taking over as SmackDown General Manager. During the October 13, 2023, season premiere of SmackDown, the former TNA World Heavyweight Champion announced that he had traded Jey Uso for Kevin Owens. Aldis' WWE run could come full circle if he makes an official return to the ring against The Prizefighter in Las Vegas.

Edited by Yash Mittal