WWE's Big E Has Nothing Left to Prove If Neck Injury Forces His Retirement

Professional wrestling is such a ludicrous spectacle at times that we often forget how dangerous this sport can be. To that end, it’s sobering to see someone as vibrant and upbeat as Big E sustain a catastrophic injury. Although the traumatic incident could’ve paralyzed him, the former WWE champion is positive about the future, even if that means he’ll have to retire earlier than expected.

On the March 11 episode of SmackDown, the 36-year-old landed on his head following an overhead belly-to-belly suplex at ringside. The terrifying sequence of events saw him carted out of the arena before the match was over. Luckily, Big E was in good spirits later that night as he gave fans an update on his condition.

Obviously, no one wants to see anyone endure a freak accident like that. However, the outpouring of love and support Big E immediately received was a testament to how much the fans and his peers admire him.

The New Day’s resident powerhouse fractured his C1 and C6 vertebra, but he fortunately didn’t have to undergo surgery. In his latest update, he revealed that his C1 wasn’t forming bone yet, but he felt “tremendous,” leaving many viewers hopeful that he could return soon. Still, it’s a bit too soon to cross that bridge.

A Well-Earned Time To Reflect On What’s Next

We would love to see the Tampa, Florida, native reunite with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods on Smackdown. Nevertheless, he isn’t rushing back, and he said he'd be content if this means he won’t wrestle again during a recent interview with TMZ Sports.

"I’ve been with this company for 13 years,” he said. “That means a lot of Saturdays and Sundays in Poughkeepsie and Kalamazoo and the most random towns. But now I get to live my life a little bit and see some friends and I’m enjoying just being human.

"Honestly, my philosophy as a human being is learning to be content with whatever life brings you. I'm so grateful to not be in a wheelchair, but if I was, I would have to adjust to life in a wheelchair. That's just how I am programmed. If I spend hours or days or weeks kind of mourning where I'm at in life, and life not being what I want it to be, that doesn't serve me.

"Worrying about it [and] stressing about it only hurts me. It's not useful. I think I'll be at peace with whatever happens. Whether I can wrestle again, I'll be at peace with that. If I can't wrestle again, so be it. My limbs work. I get to do this [moves fingers]. It could have been very different for me. There's a lot of life to live regardless." (h/t Joseph Currier of Wrestling Observer)

It’s bittersweet to imagine pro wrestling without all three of The Purveyors of Positivity. Moreover, it’s sad to think that he could have to hang up his boots after the best year of his career as a singles competitor. After all, it felt like he was just getting started and his second WWE title reign had the potential to be even sweeter.

Nevertheless, his usual optimism is infectious. His health and quality of life are much more important than our aspirations for him as a wrestler. Big E has put his body on the line for us so many times. If nothing else, he has earned some time to focus on what’s best for him and live life to the fullest.

An Indelible Legacy for a Larger-Than-Life Presence

Big E has accomplished so much during his time with WWE that he can retire with his head held high. The University of Iowa graduate and former powerlifter joined the company’s developmental brand in 2009 with no wrestling experience and reached heights that no one could’ve predicted.

The first Black NXT champion defeated the inaugural flagbearer, Seth Rollins, when the black-and-gold brand was still in its infancy and The Shield was on the cusp of greatness. It was the first of several impressive accolades.

In 2021, he made history again as the first Black wrestler to win the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match. Then, he cashed in his contract on Bobby Lashley to win the WWE Championship for the first time.

For the first time in the history of the company, consecutive African American wrestlers held the title. In retrospect, he was also the best brand ambassador as WWE champion in recent memory. For a few months, the standard-bearer was more visible outside of wrestling programming than he has been in a long time.

Big E has had success as a singles wrestler, but he undeniably left a bigger impact as a member of The New Day. His work with his real-life friends helped to transform him into the character we know and love today.

Photo credit: WWE.com

WWE ranked them as the greatest tag team of all time in 2021, which few would have seen coming during their initial struggles as a group as part of a gimmick that seemed doom to fail. It’s pretty hard to argue with that accolade considering their resume of excellent matches and 11 tag title reigns, including a record-setting 483-day run in 2016.

Still, that isn’t what makes them so special. Yes, the trio has an incredible list of accomplishments, but the barriers they’ve broken for aspiring Black wrestlers will always set them apart. Even more, they created hope for fans all over the world who hoped to see themselves represented on screen and overcame tired stereotypes along the way.

Sure, they weren’t the first successful stable of Black wrestlers. However, they were the first to prove they could do it together and stay true to themselves. Their friendship established a powerful message that transcends race, but you can’t understate what it means to Black viewers.

Watching them achieve their dreams together has been such a fun and emotional ride. Kofimania, Big E’s cash-in and Woods’ King of the Ring win wouldn’t have been as memorable or endearing if we weren’t on this journey with them.

It’s impossible to be anything but grateful when looking back on everything Big E has done for the past 10 years. The adage is a little bit overused now, but the two-time intercontinental champion deserves to receive his flowers while he can still smell them.

Of course, never say never in wrestling. He could return to the ring at some point, but his legacy is cemented no matter what he does next. His career has been such a breath of fresh air to so many viewers, and he is undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer.