Bobby Roode replacing Kevin Owens in WWE Mixed Match Challenge

With Kevin Owens out of the tournament due to injury, Natalya has a new partner for Mixed Match Challenge.

WWE announced today that Natalya will be teaming with Bobby Roode for the remainder of the tournament. They are set to face Mickie James & Bobby Lashley on next Tuesday’s episode.

Asuka & The Miz vs. Lana & Rusev will also take place on Tuesday’s Mixed Match Challenge.

Natalya & Owens lost to Ember Moon & Braun Strowman on the season two premiere of Mixed Match Challenge. With Owens needing knee surgery, it was announced this week that he would have to be replaced in the round-robin tournament. The severity of the damage to Owens’ knee won’t be known until he undergoes surgery. Dave Meltzer reported that the expected timetable is that Owens will miss about four months if it’s minor surgery and eight months if it’s major surgery.

This is the third time that a wrestler has had to be replaced in Mixed Match Challenge season two. Moon replaced Alexa Bliss in the tournament, and James replaced Sasha Banks.