Following his return to WWE at SummerSlam tonight, Kevin Owens has just paid an emotional tribute to AEW star Rebel amidst her current fight with ALS. He spoke about how much of an inspiration she was.
To the surprise of many, tonight’s Undisputed WWE Championship number one contender match between Sami Zayn and Finn Balor changed to a Fatal Four Way. Nick Aldis added Gunther at the last minute before announcing a fourth competitor. This would end up being the Prizefighter, who had not competed in a match since the Unsanctioned match at Elimination Chamber 2025.
Not only was Kevin Owens a surprise addition, but he ended up winning the whole match, earning himself the number one contendership to CM Punk’s world title. He was interviewed about his journey back to the ring during his appearance at the SummerSlam Sunday post-show. He gave credit to all those who helped him physically get back into shape following his serious injury.
He also took time to give a shout-out to Rebel following her current battle with ALS and how she was doing this with grace. He mentioned how he was inspired by what she was doing.
“There’s somebody called Tanea Brooks, who’s known to wrestling fans as Rebel. She has not wrestled here, but some things are bigger than wrestling. She’s currently battling ALS, and the way she’s doing it is so incredible. I looked at her and what she was going through, and the way she powered through it, and it was truly inspirational.” [H/T WrestlePurists on X]
This was a great move by Kevin Owens, and it received a warm reception from many. AEW is also doing its part for Rebel’s cause, and they even announced that they will be honoring her on September 9 with a special episode of AEW Dynamite called “Rebel Heart”.
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Edited by Enzo Curabo
