Former WWE champion reveals he's been advised to never wrestle again
It's been more than two years since Big E graced a WWE ring. The fan favorite has been out since fracturing his spine in two places during a match in March 2021. The road to recovery has been arduous for the former WWE champion and six-time tag team champion. And now, it would appear he might never make a return to the ring.
During a WWE SummerSlam media conference, Big E was asked about his recovery and whether he would be making a return to the ring in the future, noting how "some" doctors have advised him to avoid a return to the wrestling ring.
"We did the year check-up and all that stuff looked great, but on the other side, I also talked to spine specialists, people who have worked on other people in the company and done their fusions and they said, 'Hey, I would not wrestle again if I were you,'" Big E said, as transcribed by Fightful. "For me, at 37, these are things that I think about. I think about quality of life. When I started this job at 23 and probably had a bit of a death wish and was okay at dying in the ring, I would now like to not die in the ring. I would like to do other things with my life. I don't really have a timeline right now. I'm just really grateful to not have any nerve pain. My strength is great. Legit no issues whatsoever."
At just 37 years old, Big E had a long career left ahead of him before his injury forced him to change course. According to a recent report by Fightful, Big E has also discussed a potential role as a commentator for WWE. Currently, Big E appears to be focused on his recovery. A time will come when Big E can make a decision regarding his long-term future, whether it lies within the world of wrestling or if it's time to make a change.
For now, though, wrestling fans will be glad to see Big E is doing well with his recovery. SummerSlam is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 5, and will be headlined by Roman Reign vs. Jay Uso in a tribal combat match, with the WWE Universal Championship on the line.
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