WWE’s Big E is at peace with his retirement from the ring, after he suffered a career-ending neck injury during a match on a March 2022 edition of “WWE SmackDown.” Despite many stars coming back from serious neck injuries, including Paige and Bryan Danielson, Big E confirmed on “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” he isn’t looking to get cleared. He explained he connected with TJ Wilson’s neck surgeon, who didn’t exactly give him a positive prognosis.
“He looked at my scans, and it was almost a tone of, ‘…Please, consider being done,'” he said. “I talked to a few other doctors who looked at my scans as well, and they felt the same… I don’t want to have a stroke in my mid-30s, or being paralyzed, or even if it’s just dealing with atrophy or constant headaches.”
Big E explained it was like living in a dangerous neighborhood where you always hear gunshots, and there’s finally one that “whizzes right by your head,” and you realize it’s time to move. He said he never at any point felt like he was going to die, but realizing it was a close call was “very sobering.”
“Some of the best spine specialists in the world have implored me to hang it up, or consider hanging it up, that’s enough for me,” Big E said. “There’s so many other things in my life that I’m excited to do. I could not fathom, I’m engaged, I’m about to get married in a few months, I can’t fathom telling [my fiancée], ‘I’m going to roll the dice with my life and my health again…’ Maybe one day I could get cleared. It’s just not a gamble worth taking.”
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
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