This issue is billed as Wolverine’s 25th anniversary, and it ties to several important narratives.
We see him get kidnapped by the skrulls who create the skrull imposter we learned about in The Shattering. The aliens take him out to space and force him to fight Sabretooth.
Wolverine wins.
The prize? Adamantium claws, finally restoring him from the bones he’s had for the past six years. But there’s a catch…
…He becomes the Death Horseman for Apocalypse. And his first mission is to fight Hulk.
Pretty convenient that on his 25th Anniversary, Apocalypse wants him to fight the first character Wolverine ever fought.
So, more build-up to the big bad Apocalypse’s big return.