Big E is a fan of boxing and fighting outside of WWE, but he never thought about getting into it himself.
Before he joined WWE, Big E played football at the University of Iowa. He became a top star in WWE, and he went on to win the WWE Championship. Big E has not wrestled since 2022 due to a neck injury.
Speaking to Kevin Iole, Big E said that he never thought of stepping into the octagon, mainly due to the size disadvantage he would have against other people in his weight class.
“No. Not once. Mind you, I’m maybe 5’11’ and about 255,” said Big E. “As far as MMA, you’re fighting Stefan Struve, who is a seven-foot fighter at heavyweight. Daniel Cormier was able to do it around my height, but you’re talking about one of the best American wrestlers of the last 10-20 years. As much as I love the sport, I wrestled in high school, I was never enough of an elite wrestler or an elite striker to think, ‘I could really make a go of this.'”
Big E continues to work for WWE in a personality role after breaking his neck two years ago. The former WWE Champion has still yet to be cleared for in-ring activity, and it’s unclear if he ever will, despite having no pain or any issues relating to his neck.
“I broke my neck, two and a half years ago, in three places, including my C1 in two places. I still haven’t been cleared,” Big E said in December. “Thankfully, I feel great and don’t have any issues, nothing like that. Didn’t need surgery. I was in a hard collar for three months. There are very real risks. We had a suplex that went wrong and I’ve been out since. I’m grateful to have no issues, no pain, nothing like that,” he said. (H/t Fightful with an h/t for the transcription)
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