1. Overview
Ettore Ewen, known professionally as Big E, is an American professional wrestler and former powerlifter currently signed to WWE. His career is marked by a significant transition from a decorated powerlifting background to becoming a prominent figure in professional wrestling. After signing with WWE in 2009, he initially performed in its developmental territories as Big E Langston, where he became the second NXT Champion. His greatest success came as a member of the highly popular faction The New Day, alongside Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, with whom he achieved multiple Raw Tag Team and SmackDown Tag Team Championships, including a record-breaking 483-day reign as Raw Tag Team Champions.
In 2020, Big E embarked on a successful singles career, culminating in his victory in the men's Money in the Bank ladder match in 2021, which he successfully cashed in to win the WWE Championship, marking a significant milestone as his first world championship and making him the 33rd Triple Crown Champion in WWE history. He is also a two-time Intercontinental Champion. In March 2022, Ewen sustained a severe cervical fracture during a match, leading to a long recovery and a shift to non-wrestling roles within WWE. Despite medical advice against returning to active competition, he remains a beloved figure, recently making an in-ring appearance for The New Day's 10-year anniversary, which saw a surprising turn of events as Kingston and Woods turned heel and expelled him from the group.
2. Early Life and Background
Ettore Ewen's journey to professional wrestling was built upon a strong athletic foundation established during his formative years in Florida.
2.1. Birth and Family
Ettore Ewen was born on March 1, 1986, in Tampa, Florida, to Margaret and Ettore Ewen. He has Jamaican and Montserratian heritage.
2.2. Athletic Career in High School and College
Ewen attended middle school starting in 7th grade and high school at Tampa Preparatory School in Tampa, where he earned numerous athletic honors, including a state championship in wrestling. After his junior year, he transferred to Wharton High School to play American football, where he was recognized as Hillsborough County's "Ironman of the Year".
Upon graduating from high school, Ewen attended the University of Iowa, playing American football as a defensive lineman for the Iowa Hawkeyes. He was redshirted in 2004 and missed the 2005 season due to a preseason injury, playing a single season as a sophomore in 2006. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
2.3. Transition to Powerlifting
After his college football aspirations were curtailed by injuries, Ewen shifted his focus to powerlifting. He discovered a natural aptitude for the sport, which laid the groundwork for his impressive athletic achievements before entering professional wrestling.
3. Powerlifting Career
Ettore Ewen achieved significant success as a powerlifter, setting multiple state and national records, before transitioning into professional wrestling.
3.1. Competition Record
Ewen competed in his first USA Powerlifting (USAPL) meet on July 11, 2010, at the 2010 United States Open Championships held at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida. He emerged as the top heavyweight lifter, breaking all four Florida state raw powerlifting records in the 275 lb (275 lb) class. He also surpassed raw national records in the deadlift and total.
In 2011, Ewen won the USAPL Raw Nationals in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Competing in the super heavyweight division (over 275 lb (275 lb)), he broke the raw American and national records in the deadlift with 799 lb (799 lb) and in the total with 2.04 K lb (2.04 K lb). While his national and American raw records have since been broken, his achievements marked him as a formidable competitor in the powerlifting world.
3.2. Personal Bests
Ewen's personal best lifts, set in official competition, include:
- Squat - 711 lb (711 lb) (711 lb (322.5 kg)) raw without knee wraps
- Bench press - 529 lb (529 lb) (529 lb (240 kg)) raw
- Deadlift - 799 lb (799 lb) (799 lb (362.5 kg)) raw
- Powerlifting total - 2.04 K lb (2.04 K lb) (2039 lb (925 kg)) raw without knee wraps (combining 711 lb (322.5 kg) squat, 529 lb (240 kg) bench press, and 799 lb (362.5 kg) deadlift)
For comparison, the American and National Championship Records in the deadlift are held at 904 lb (410 kg) (903.9 lb (903.9 lb)) since 1995 by Mark Henry, who also became a professional wrestler in WWE. Ewen has also bench pressed 575 lb (575 lb) (573 lb (260 kg)) raw touch and go in the gym, although this was not a competition lift.
4. Professional Wrestling Career
Ettore Ewen's professional wrestling career began in WWE's developmental system, where he honed his skills before achieving mainstream success and multiple championships on the main roster.
4.1. WWE Signing and Developmental Territories
After injuries ended Ewen's aspirations of a professional football career, he was introduced to professional wrestling through a contact of Jim Ross. Following a tryout with World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), Ewen became convinced he could pursue wrestling as a profession. WWE signed him to a developmental contract in 2009. Ewen, who had been a wrestling fan as a child, stated he "never thought this [was] something you could do for a living" and was grateful to be in the "right place and the right time."
Ewen debuted in FCW on December 17, 2009, under the ring name Big E Langston. On May 12, 2011, Langston and Calvin Raines defeated Richie Steamboat and Seth Rollins to capture the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship. However, their reign was short-lived, as they lost the championship to CJ Parker and Donny Marlow on July 21, 2011. During the WrestleMania Axxess event in April 2012, Langston secured a victory over Antonio Cesaro.
4.2. NXT Champion
When WWE rebranded FCW into NXT, Langston made his NXT debut on August 1, 2012, defeating Adam Mercer. This marked the beginning of a dominant winning streak for Langston. From September onwards, he began consistently performing his finisher on opponents and demanding that referees count to five (rather than the usual three) before awarding him pinfalls, a unique gimmick that resonated with the audience.
After Langston declined Vickie Guerrero's managerial services, Guerrero offered a 5.00 K USD bounty to anyone who could put Langston "on the shelf." However, attempts by Chad Baxter and Camacho to claim the bounty were swiftly squashed by Langston. The bounty was eventually declared void by NXT Commissioner Dusty Rhodes.
Langston then entered a feud with The Shield. On the January 9, 2013, episode of NXT, Langston defeated The Shield member Seth Rollins in a No Disqualification match to win the NXT Championship. He successfully defended his title against challengers such as Conor O'Brian, Corey Graves, Brad Maddox, and Damien Sandow. Langston eventually lost the NXT Championship to Bo Dallas on the June 12 episode of NXT, ending his reign at 168 days, though WWE officially recognizes it as 153 days due to the episode airing on tape delay.
4.3. Main Roster Debut and Early Career
Big E's main roster debut saw him align with prominent figures, establishing a heel persona before a pivotal turn to a fan-favorite character and his first singles championship.
4.3.1. Alignment with AJ Lee and Dolph Ziggler
On the December 17, 2012, episode of Raw, Langston made his main roster debut by attacking John Cena and aligning himself with AJ Lee, thereby establishing himself as a heel. He subsequently served as an enforcer for AJ's boyfriend, Dolph Ziggler.
At WrestleMania 29 on April 7, 2013, Langston and Ziggler unsuccessfully challenged Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) for the WWE Tag Team Championship. The following night on Raw, Langston wrestled his first singles match on the main roster, defeating Daniel Bryan. After Ziggler suffered a concussion in May, Langston competed in a best-of-five series against Ziggler's opponent for the World Heavyweight Championship, Alberto Del Rio, a series which Del Rio won 3-2.
On the June 10 episode of Raw, Langston was revealed as the secret admirer of Divas Champion Kaitlyn. This was later exposed as a ploy orchestrated by AJ Lee, who was the number one contender for Kaitlyn's title, designed to humiliate her. Langston and AJ continued to mock Kaitlyn in the following weeks, with AJ ultimately winning the title at Payback on June 16.
On the July 15 episode of Raw, Ziggler ended his relationship with AJ, leading to Langston attacking Ziggler later that evening. On the July 29 episode of Raw, Langston lost to Ziggler by disqualification due to AJ's interference. In a rematch the following week on Raw, Langston defeated Ziggler after a distraction from AJ. At SummerSlam on August 18, Langston and AJ were defeated by Ziggler and Kaitlyn in a mixed tag team match, effectively concluding their feud.
4.3.2. Intercontinental Championship Reign
On the October 18 episode of SmackDown, Langston faced CM Punk in a match, which he lost. Afterward, Paul Heyman appeared, downplaying Punk's victory and calling Langston a "marginal at best rookie." Heyman then sent Curtis Axel and Ryback to attack Punk. Langston, taking offense to Heyman's remarks, aided Punk in fending off Axel and Ryback, thereby turning face. Three days later, on the October 21 episode of Raw, Langston teamed with Punk to defeat Axel and Ryback, with Langston pinning Axel.
Langston was scheduled to receive an Intercontinental Championship match against Axel at Hell in a Cell on October 27, but Axel was pulled from the match due to a legitimate hip injury. Langston instead challenged for the United States Championship against Dean Ambrose, winning by countout. The following night on Raw, he was granted a rematch for the title, winning by disqualification after Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins interfered.
On the November 18 episode of Raw, Langston received his postponed championship match with Axel and won the Intercontinental Championship, marking his first singles championship on the main roster. He successfully retained his title against Axel at Survivor Series on November 24, and against Damien Sandow on December 15 at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs. On January 26, 2014, at the Royal Rumble, Langston participated in the Royal Rumble match but was eliminated by Sheamus.
In February 2014, his ring name was shortened to Big E. At Elimination Chamber on February 23, he successfully defended the title against Jack Swagger. At WrestleMania XXX on April 6, Big E competed in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, which was won by Cesaro. On May 4, at Extreme Rules, Big E lost the title to Bad News Barrett, and failed to regain it the following night on Raw, ending his reign at 167 days. Big E later became involved in a feud with Rusev, leading to consecutive bouts at Payback on June 1 and Money in the Bank on June 29, both of which Big E lost. At Battleground on July 20, Big E competed in a battle royal for the Intercontinental Championship, which was won by The Miz.
4.4. Formation and Reign of The New Day
The formation of The New Day marked a turning point in Big E's career, leading to unprecedented tag team success and a beloved character evolution.
4.4.1. Tag Team Championship Success
During the summer of 2014, Big E was paired with Kofi Kingston. On the July 21 episode of Raw, they lost a tag team match against Ryback and Curtis Axel (known as RybAxel), continuing a recent losing streak. Xavier Woods then appeared, addressing them by stating that they could not "get ahead by kissing babies, shaking hands, and singing and dancing like a puppet," and that it was "their time to shine" and "take" opportunities rather than ask for them. He offered to form a stable, which Big E and Kingston accepted. The following day on Main Event, Woods managed Big E and Kingston to a decisive victory over Heath Slater and Titus O'Neil (Slater-Gator). The trio temporarily separated on WWE television, with Big E and Kingston reverting to singles matches, but they continued their alliance at house shows.
In November, WWE began airing vignettes for Big E, Kingston, and Woods, with the stable now billed as The New Day and presented as overly positive babyface characters. The New Day made their in-ring debut on the November 28 episode of SmackDown, defeating Curtis Axel, Heath Slater, and Titus O'Neil. They engaged in a brief feud with Gold and Stardust, whom Big E and Kingston defeated at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 14. On January 25, 2015, at the Royal Rumble, The New Day lost to Tyson Kidd and Cesaro, ending their winning streak. Later that night, Big E participated in the Royal Rumble match but was eliminated by Rusev. At WrestleMania 31 on March 29, they failed to win the WWE Tag Team Championship in a fatal four-way match and were eliminated by Big Show in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
4.4.2. Character Evolution and Record-Breaking Reigns
On the April 6 episode of Raw, The New Day turned heel after receiving negative reactions from fans. At Extreme Rules on April 26, Big E and Kingston defeated Tyson Kidd and Cesaro to win the WWE Tag Team Championships. On May 17, at Payback, The New Day retained their titles against Kidd and Cesaro. At Elimination Chamber on May 31, The New Day successfully defended the titles in the first-ever tag team Elimination Chamber match, with all three members allowed to compete under a pre-match stipulation. On June 14, they lost the titles at Money in the Bank to The Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil), but they regained the championships at SummerSlam on August 23.
The following night on Raw, they began a feud with The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley), leading to a title match at Night of Champions on September 20, where they lost by disqualification but retained the titles. At Hell in a Cell on October 25, they defeated The Dudley Boyz to retain their titles, ending the feud. At TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 13, The New Day retained the title against The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) and The Lucha Dragons (Kalisto and Sin Cara) in a triple threat tag team ladder match. On January 24, 2016, at the Royal Rumble, they retained the title against The Usos.
At Fastlane on February 21, The New Day turned face by mocking The League of Nations (Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio, Rusev, and King Barrett), initiating a feud. They retained their titles at Roadblock on March 12 against The League of Nations. On April 3, at WrestleMania 32, The New Day were defeated by The League of Nations in a six-man tag team match. The following night on Raw, they successfully retained their title against The League of Nations, concluding their feud. After WrestleMania, they retained their title at Extreme Rules on May 22 against The Vaudevillains (Aiden English and Simon Gotch), and at Money in the Bank on June 19 against The Vaudevillains, Enzo Amore and Big Cass, and Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson in a fatal-four-way match.
On July 19 at the 2016 WWE draft, Big E, along with his New Day teammates, was drafted to the Raw brand. Three days later, on July 22, The New Day became the longest-reigning WWE Tag Team Champions, surpassing the previous record of 331 days set by Paul London and Brian Kendrick. After SmackDown established the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships due to the brand split, the titles held by The New Day were renamed the WWE Raw Tag Team Championships. On the August 1 episode of Raw, Big E suffered a storyline contusion to the groin area after an attack by Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. At SummerSlam on August 21, Big E returned from injury, attacking Gallows and Anderson during their match against Kingston and Woods, which resulted in Gallows and Anderson winning by disqualification.
At Clash of Champions on September 25, The New Day retained the titles against Gallows and Anderson. On October 30, at Hell in a Cell, The New Day lost to the team of Cesaro and Sheamus by disqualification but retained the titles. The next night on Raw, The New Day revealed they were made captain of Team Raw for the 10-on-10 Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination match at Survivor Series on November 20, 2016, which Team Raw won. The New Day had two successful title defenses on the November 21 and 28 editions of Raw against Cesaro and Sheamus, and Gallows and Anderson, respectively. On the December 12 episode of Raw, The New Day retained the titles in two triple threat tag team matches. At Roadblock: End of the Line on December 18, The New Day lost the Raw Tag Team Championship to Cesaro and Sheamus, ending their record-breaking championship reign at 483 days. On January 29, all New Day members participated in the Royal Rumble match but were eliminated by Sheamus and Cesaro. On February 20, 2017, they were announced as the hosts of WrestleMania 33.
On April 11, 2017, Big E and The New Day were moved to the SmackDown brand as part of the Superstar Shake-up. At Battleground on July 23, Kingston and Woods, representing The New Day, defeated The Usos to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships for the first time. Although Big E did not wrestle in the match, he is also recognized as a champion due to The New Day defending the titles under the Freebird Rule. The New Day lost the tag titles back to The Usos at SummerSlam on August 20. The Usos held the titles for about a month before The New Day won them back on SmackDown Live that September. At Hell in a Cell on October 8, Big E and Woods faced The Usos in the namesake match but lost the championships.
On the October 23 edition of Raw, The New Day, along with other SmackDown talents, ambushed the Raw wrestlers. They appeared again on the November 6 episode of Raw in the crowd, distracting Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose and costing them the tag titles. On the November 14 edition of SmackDown, The Shield led an attack with Raw Superstars, invading SmackDown and attacking everyone, including The New Day. At Survivor Series on November 19, The New Day lost to The Shield. The New Day failed to regain the titles from The Usos at Clash of Champions on December 17 in a fatal four-way tag team match. On January 28, Big E entered the 2018 Royal Rumble match as the ninth entrant but was eliminated by Jinder Mahal.
At Fastlane on March 11, The New Day faced The Usos for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, but the match ended in a no-contest after interference from The Bludgeon Brothers. On April 8, at WrestleMania 34, The New Day faced the Usos and the Bludgeon Brothers in a triple threat tag team match for the titles, which were won by The Bludgeon Brothers. On July 15, The New Day were defeated by SAnitY in a six-man tables match at the Extreme Rules pre-show. The New Day then competed in a tag team title tournament, defeating SAnitY in the first round and then Cesaro and Sheamus the following week on SmackDown to earn the right to face The Bludgeon Brothers at SummerSlam on August 19, where they won by disqualification, meaning the Bludgeon Brothers retained their titles. Two days later on SmackDown, however, The New Day defeated The Bludgeon Brothers in a No Disqualification match to capture the titles for the third time. Big E and Woods then represented The New Day when they unsuccessfully defended their tag titles against The Bar on SmackDown 1000.
On January 27, Big E entered the 2019 Royal Rumble, but was eliminated by Samoa Joe. In the lead-up to WrestleMania 35, Big E's New Day teammate Kofi Kingston was attempting to earn a shot at the WWE Championship. After many attempts, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon granted him the title shot after Big E and Xavier Woods defeated multiple teams in a tag team gauntlet match. Shortly after WrestleMania, Big E suffered a legitimate knee injury which sidelined him for weeks. He later returned and earned another SmackDown tag team title opportunity at Extreme Rules on July 14, where Big E and Xavier Woods defeated Daniel Bryan and Erick Rowan, and Heavy Machinery to win the titles (during this reign, Kingston was not recognized as champion as he was the reigning WWE Champion). On September 15, they lost the titles to The Revival at Clash of Champions, but regained them on the November 8 episode of SmackDown, becoming record five-time champions as a team, and a record fifth reign for Big E individually (Woods is not recognized for this reign due to an injury). At TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 15, Big E and Kingston successfully defended the titles against The Revival in a ladder match. On January 26, 2020, at the Royal Rumble, Big E participated in the Royal Rumble match but was eliminated by Brock Lesnar.
At Super ShowDown on February 27, Big E and Kingston lost the championships against John Morrison and the Miz and failed to regain the titles at Elimination Chamber on March 8. On the April 17 episode of SmackDown, Big E, representing The New Day, won the titles back from Miz (representing himself and Morrison) in a triple threat match also involving Jey Uso (representing The Usos), making The New Day six-time SmackDown Tag Team Champions. At The Horror Show at Extreme Rules on July 19, The New Day lost the championships to Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura in a Tables match after Cesaro and Nakamura put Kingston through two tables.
4.5. Return to Singles Career and WWE Championship
Big E's return to singles competition paved the way for his second Intercontinental Championship reign and his monumental WWE Championship victory.
4.5.1. Intercontinental Championship (Second Reign)
On the July 24 episode of SmackDown, Kingston revealed he would be out of action for six weeks and gave Big E his blessing to pursue a solo career. Big E then embarked on his singles run, engaging in a feud with Sheamus, whom he defeated on August 3 at Payback and on the October 9 episode of SmackDown in a Falls Count Anywhere match. As part of the 2020 Draft in October, Kingston and Woods were drafted to the Raw brand while Big E remained on the SmackDown brand, officially commencing his singles career. This period also saw him debut a new theme song by Wale and a separate titantron from The New Day.
On the December 25 episode of SmackDown (taped on December 22), Big E defeated Sami Zayn in a lumberjack match to win the Intercontinental Championship for the second time. On the January 8, 2021, episode of SmackDown, Big E defended the Intercontinental Championship against Apollo Crews, with the match initially ending in a double-pinfall draw. After a match restart, Big E secured the victory. On the January 22 episode of SmackDown, his match with Crews ended in a no contest after Zayn interfered and attacked both competitors. At the Royal Rumble on January 31, 2021, Big E entered the Royal Rumble match and eliminated Zayn, Mustafa Ali, The Hurricane, and Bobby Lashley, before being eliminated by Omos.
On the February 5 episode of SmackDown, Big E retained his title against Crews and Zayn in a triple threat match. Following this, Crews began to specifically target Big E, eventually injuring him and sidelining him for several weeks. Big E returned on the March 12 episode of SmackDown, accepting Crews' challenge for a rematch at Fastlane on March 21, where Big E once again retained the championship but was attacked by Crews after the match. On the March 26 episode of SmackDown, Big E was pinned by Crews in a six-man tag match, which earned Crews another opportunity for the championship at WrestleMania 37. At Night 2 of WrestleMania on April 11, Big E lost the Intercontinental Championship to Crews in a Nigerian Drum Fight due to interference from Commander Azeez. He challenged Crews for the Intercontinental Championship on the May 21 episode of SmackDown in a fatal four-way that also included Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, but was unsuccessful when Aleister Black interfered. A planned feud with Black was canceled when Black was released from WWE.
4.5.2. Money in the Bank and WWE Championship Victory
On the June 25 episode of SmackDown, Big E defeated Crews to qualify for the men's Money in the Bank ladder match. At Money in the Bank on July 18, he won the men's ladder match, becoming the first African-American competitor to hold the contract. On the August 13 episode of SmackDown, Baron Corbin stole his briefcase during a backstage interview. At the SummerSlam pre-show on August 21, Big E defeated Corbin to regain the briefcase.
On September 13, Big E declared on Twitter that he would be cashing in his Money in the Bank contract for a WWE Championship match on that night's Raw, which already featured a WWE Championship match between champion Bobby Lashley and challenger Randy Orton. After Lashley defeated Orton, Big E immediately cashed in his contract and pinned Lashley, winning the WWE Championship for the first time in his career. He celebrated this monumental victory with the rest of The New Day. On the September 27 episode of Raw, Big E defended the WWE Championship against Lashley, a match that ended in a disqualification after a brawl erupted between The New Day and Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin. The match was rescheduled as a cage match later that night, where Big E defeated Lashley to retain the title.
As part of the 2021 WWE Draft, Big E was officially drafted to Raw, while Kingston and Woods were drafted to SmackDown. On October 21, Big E successfully defended the WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre at Crown Jewel. At Survivor Series on November 21, Big E suffered a clean loss to WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in a non-title match. On the November 22 episode of Raw, Big E had a successful title defense against Austin Theory.
Big E was originally scheduled to defend his WWE Championship at the WWE Day 1 event against Seth Rollins. On the November 29 episode of Raw, Big E lost to Kevin Owens in a non-title match via disqualification after Rollins interfered, leading to Owens being added to Big E's Day 1 title match. On the December 13 episode of Raw, Big E was pinned by Bobby Lashley in a non-title no disqualification match after Rollins, Owens, and MVP interfered, resulting in Lashley also being added to the title match. Hours before Day 1, due to WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns contracting COVID-19, Reigns' scheduled opponent Brock Lesnar was also added to Big E's title match. In the fatal five-way match on January 1, 2022, Big E lost his title when he was cleanly pinned by Lesnar, ending Big E's reign at 110 days. On the January 3 episode of Raw, Big E wrestled Lashley, Owens, and Rollins in a four-way match for a WWE Championship shot against Lesnar, but Lashley won. On the following episode of Raw, Big E challenged Rollins to an immediate match and suffered a clean loss.
In an interview published in March 2022, Ewen shared his views on his WWE Championship reign, stating that if it were up to him, he would have preferred a "longer" reign to "do some more dynamic things." Ewen further commented that it was "difficult [for people] to really latch onto a new champion" when "within their first month, [the champion has] multiple losses on TV." Ewen then compared his world title reign and its conclusion to Kofi Kingston's, suggesting that both experienced a "falling off of a cliff feeling at the hands of one Brock Lesnar and then suddenly, it feels like you woke up a year prior and you're back to doing what you were doing before."
4.6. Cervical Spine Injury and Current Status
Big E's career was significantly impacted by a severe neck injury, leading to a shift in his role within WWE.
4.6.1. The Injury and Recovery
In late January 2022, Big E was officially moved back to SmackDown, reuniting with Kofi Kingston as part of The New Day. On the March 11 episode of SmackDown, during a match against Ridge Holland and Sheamus, Holland delivered an overhead belly-to-belly suplex to Big E at ringside, resulting in Big E accidentally landing on the top of his head. He suffered a broken neck, specifically fractures to his C1 and C6 vertebrae. Fortunately, there was no ligament or spinal cord injury, and he did not require surgery. He had an onscreen reunion with Kingston and Woods on May 20.
4.6.2. Non-Wrestling Roles and Future Outlook
Following his recovery, Big E has primarily served in non-wrestling capacities within WWE, appearing as a host, guest, or panelist on various shows. In an interview one month after his onscreen reunion in May 2022, he stated that it was unclear if he would ever be able to wrestle again. In August 2023, he revealed that doctors had advised him never to wrestle again, despite having no nerve damage or strength issues. He commented, "They said like, 'Hey, I would not wrestle again if I were you.' So, for me, at 37, these are things that I think about. ... I started this job at 23 years old, and probably had a bit of a death wish and was okay dying in the ring ... I now, at 37, would like to not die in the ring; I would like to do other things with my life." Two years after the incident, in April 2024, he further revealed that his neck had healed fibrously but failed to build new bone structure, concluding that due to this, he was not medically cleared and unlikely to ever be cleared to return to in-ring competition.
On the December 2, 2024, episode of Raw, during the 10-year anniversary celebration of the formation of The New Day, Big E made an in-ring reunion with Kingston and Woods for the first time since his injury. During the segment, Big E announced his intention to return to manage them. However, Kingston and Woods lashed out at Big E, accusing him of "abandoning" them after his injury, and subsequently kicked him out of the stable, marking their first heel turn since 2016.
5. Filmography and Media Appearances
Ettore Ewen has made various appearances in media outside of professional wrestling, including television, film, and video games.
5.1. Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Total Divas | Himself | Guest star |
| 2016 | Swerved | Himself | |
| Ride Along | Himself | ||
| Let's Make a Deal | Himself | Guest star (with The New Day) | |
| 2019-2021 | Lazor Wulf | Canon Wulf (voice) | Main role |
| 2023 | Weakest Link | Himself | |
| Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge | Himself | Episode: "Mardi Gras Mania vs. The Reaper" | |
| 2024 | Laid | Stu Jackward | Episode: "FB to the T" |
| 2025 | Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man | Bulldozer |
5.2. Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Countdown | Himself | |
| 2021 | Escape the Undertaker | Himself | Main star |
5.3. Video Games
| Year | Title | As | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | WWE 2K14 | Big E Langston | Downloadable content |
| 2014 | WWE 2K15 | Big E Langston | |
| 2015 | WWE 2K16 | Big E Langston | |
| 2016 | WWE 2K17 | Big E | |
| 2017 | WWE 2K18 | Big E | |
| 2018 | WWE 2K19 | Big E | |
| 2019 | WWE 2K20 | Big E | |
| 2020 | WWE 2K Battlegrounds | Big E | |
| 2020 | Gears 5 | Big E | Downloadable content |
| 2022 | WWE 2K22 | Big E | |
| 2023 | WWE 2K23 | Big E | |
| 2024 | WWE 2K24 | Big E |
6. Championships and Accomplishments
Ettore Ewen has accumulated numerous championships and accolades throughout his powerlifting and professional wrestling careers.
6.1. FCW
- FCW Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Calvin Raines
6.2. Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Tag Team of the Year (2015, 2016) - with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods
- Ranked No. 9 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2022 (also No. 24 in 2014)
- Ranked No. 8 of the top 50 tag teams in the PWI Tag Team 50 in 2020 - with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods
6.3. Sports Illustrated
- Ranked No. 6 of the top 10 wrestlers in 2021
6.4. Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Best Gimmick (2015) - The New Day
- Shad Gaspard/Jon Huber Memorial Award (2020)
6.5. WWE
- WWE Championship (1 time)
- NXT Championship (1 time)
- WWE Intercontinental Championship (2 times)
- WWE (Raw) Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods (defended under the Freebird Rule)
- WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship (6 times) - with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods (defended under the Freebird Rule during his first three reigns; with Woods in the fourth reign and with Kingston in the fifth)
- WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tournament (2018)
- Men's Money in the Bank (2021)
- 33rd Triple Crown Champion
- WWE Year-End Award (1 time)
- WWE Year-End Award for Men's Tag Team of the Year (2019) - with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods
- Slammy Award (1 time)
- Ring Gear of the Year (2020) - with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods
7. Legacy and Impact
Ettore Ewen, known as Big E, has left a significant mark on professional wrestling, particularly through his charismatic persona and integral role in The New Day. His journey from a formidable powerlifter to a WWE Champion showcases remarkable athletic versatility and dedication.
As a member of The New Day, Big E was central to one of WWE's most successful and beloved factions. The group's unique blend of humor, athleticism, and positive messaging resonated deeply with fans, leading to multiple record-breaking tag team championship reigns. Their ability to transition from a heel stable to fan favorites demonstrated their adaptability and strong connection with the audience, largely due to Big E's vibrant personality and powerful in-ring presence. The New Day's impact extended beyond championships, influencing merchandise sales, pop culture appearances, and setting a high standard for tag team wrestling.
Big E's individual achievements, including his two Intercontinental Championship reigns and his historic WWE Championship victory, cemented his status as a top-tier singles competitor. His Money in the Bank cash-in moment for the WWE Championship was widely celebrated, representing a culmination of years of hard work and fan support. This victory, in particular, was seen as a triumph for a performer who consistently entertained and inspired.
Despite a career-altering cervical spine injury in 2022, Big E has maintained a positive outlook and continued to engage with the WWE Universe in non-wrestling roles. His openness about his recovery and his decision to prioritize his long-term health while remaining connected to the wrestling world has garnered widespread respect. His recent storyline involvement with The New Day, even with its unexpected turn, highlights his enduring relevance and the deep emotional investment fans have in his career. Big E's legacy is defined by his athletic prowess, his infectious charisma, and his significant contributions to both tag team and singles competition, making him a memorable and impactful figure in modern professional wrestling.