Big E knows fans want that feel-good WWE comeback story, but he’s not about to gamble with his neck just because other wrestlers made it back.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, Big E addressed fans comparing him to Edge, Paige, and Bryan Danielson, all of whom returned after serious neck issues. Big E said that sounds nice from the outside, but every neck injury is different, and his C1 injury is the part that makes this scary.
“All neck injuries are different, and that’s what I found as someone who is going through this. My C6 is broken, but the primary concern, of course, is the C1 because it is so high up in my neck and because of the nature of it.”
Big E admitted there might be some doctor out there willing to clear him, but he hasn’t gone looking for one just to get the answer he wants. He also revealed Tyson Kidd and Natalya were there for him after the injury, helping him through the process and connecting him with people who understood just how serious this could be.
“Is there a doctor out there who could probably clear me? Maybe. I don’t know. I haven’t really done any doctor shopping. Tyson Kidd, TJ Wilson, reached out to me right away. He and Nattie were — I have so much praise for them because Nattie came by… She would stop by, bring by calcium supplements. She would come by to just talk about what TJ went through.”
That led Big E to spine expert Dr. Juan Uribe, who looked at his scans and basically urged him to think very hard about never wrestling again. Big E said the danger became impossible to ignore when doctors explained how close he came to something life-changing, including a stroke or paralysis.
“He connected me with Dr. Juan Uribe, who did his neck surgery, I believe, but just a spine expert. And he looked at my scans and man, it was almost a tone of, ‘Please, even if they clear you… please consider being done.’ And I talked to a few other doctors who looked at my scans as well, and they felt the same.
When you hear that you were this close to having a stroke in your mid-30s, or being paralyzed, or dealing with even if it’s just atrophy or constant headaches… it feels like living in a dangerous neighborhood and you always hear gunshots going off, but finally there’s one that whizzes right by your head and you’re like, ‘Okay, it’s time to move now.’”
That was enough for him. Big E said when top spine specialists are telling you to hang it up, it’s hard to ignore. And then came the real-life part. Big E said he’s 40, engaged, and getting ready to marry Kristen. So the idea of telling her he wants to roll the dice with his health again just does not sit right with him.
“I think just knowing that people who do this for a living, some of the best spine specialists in the world, have implored me to hang it up or to consider hanging it up, I think that’s enough for me. I’m 40 right now. There’s so many other things in my life that I’m excited about that I want to do. I’m engaged, I’m about to get married in a few months. I can’t fathom telling Kristen I’m going to roll the dice with my health and my life again like that. I can’t do that to her.”
Big E didn’t say a return is absolutely impossible since he could get cleared, but he made it clear the risk is not worth it right now: “So maybe one day I could get cleared. It’s just not a gamble worth taking. When you understand the importance of your C1 and the potential costs, I’m just not willing to take those risks.”
So, fans can keep fantasy booking the big return, but Big E is looking at this as a husband-to-be and a man who came way too close to disaster. Wrestling gave him a lot, but he’s not about to trade his future for one more pop.
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Do you think Big E is making the right call by putting his health first, or are you still holding out hope for one last WWE run? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
