Kevin Owens won the opportunity to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Championship during his shock return at WWE SummerSlam, and now, he'll take on rival CM Punk for the gold on Friday's "WWE SmackDown." The pair, who have had real heat in the past, are set to go one-on-one at the show in Toronto, Canada. Owens, who was raised near Montreal, Quebec, chose the location for the match, a decision he explained to Faces Magazine.Owens said that he wasn't sure if he'd have the home field advantage, as Punk is wildly popular. He said Toronto has always been "incredible" to him, however."The reason I picked Toronto for the match was because not only is it an amazing crowd, but that's where I had my last match, where I, what I thought would be my last match," Owens explained to the magazine. "And I remember thinking, if it is my last match, I really couldn't have asked for a better place to have it, and a better opponent to do it with."Owens was sidelined for 17 months with a neck injury that required surgery after his match against Zayn at WWE Elimination Chamber 2025. He revealed that he had been dealing with the injury for months prior.He told Faces that his family will be there to watch him, including his mom, who has suffered health issues over the last few years. Owens explained she's not able to travel far, but she'll be able to drive from Montreal."When I won the Universal Title, my wife, my kids, my parents, they were all watching on TV, but they weren't there live," Owens said. "So, if I was able to do that with them live, after everything we've been through, it would just make everything so much, just so much better."
