WrestleMania 39 week is upon us, and the Showcase of the Immortals yet again offers the opportunity for superstars across the WWE roster to create iconic moments. As he recovers from breaking his neck more than a year ago, Big E won’t be wrestling, but he’s taking part in the festivities through a partnership with Snickers as the presenting sponsor for the eighth year.
Deciding is tough, luckily there's @snickers. Don’t be Indecisive. #SnickersSatisfies #ad pic.twitter.com/DCYr8axnGQ
— Ettore “Big E” Ewen (@WWEBigE) March 25, 2023
“It was a blast, man. Every time we work with Snickers, I have a ton of fun and we got to shoot a commercial, which was honestly a joy,” Big E told Uproxx Sports. “I love doing that stuff. Snickers is the presenting partner for WrestleMania for the eighth year, also co-promoting with WWE 2K23, and obviously when you’re watching WrestleMania, when you’re feeling outta sorts before, after, or during, what better thing to grab than a Snickers?”
While he’s on the mend, Big E is is taking it all in, starting with WaleMania on Thursday night before the big shows kick off on Saturday.
“For the show, I think the buildup for the Bloodline stuff has just been so amazing, everyone involved has really taken their game to the very next level,” he says. “So the tag match with Usos, Sami and KO, that’s definitely something I’m gonna have my eyes, I’ll be locked in for that one. And obviously, Cody’s return has been really inspiring in so many ways. I just love seeing people who, if you’re not satisfied in life, make a decision, take your career into your own hands. And he did that and seeing him come back, seeing the way the fans have taken to him has been amazing. In my opinion, I think he’s the guy, I think he’s the guy to to take that next step and be the face of Raw. Hopefully we’ll see if the uncrowned king will actually get his crown. So I’m excited for that one as well.
“But also, I’m such a big fan of Bianca Belair and Asuka, both of them,” he continues. “I hope they’re given the opportunity to go out there and tear it up because I know they have that in them. Both incredible, and to see the leaps that Bianca has made in such a short time in her career, what an incredible superstar, athlete, human being. And Asuka might be my favorite wrestler on the planet. So there’s a lot really to look forward to.”
There is one thing that I wanted to know among all else. Big E, famously, described his ideal match as “big, meaty men slappin’ meat,” and when he looks on the card for this sort of match, one sticks out among the rest.
“Ooh, ooh. Omos and Brock, that’s a lot of beef in there,” Big E says. “That’s a lot of be beef, that to me is definitely the one. I’m excited about that, man.”
The clip is pretty famous among the Internet Wrestling Community, and when big fellas take the ring against one another, you can usually see it pop up on Twitter. It’s a very silly line that mixed hilarious commentary on a very specific kind of match and an all-time reaction from everyone else on set — “[Xavier] Woods just laughing, like he really has an infectious laugh and that, I think, really made it cause this man almost needed medical attention,” Big E says. “He was keeled over laughing.”
But it’s more than just a funny video. As Big E explains, he loves that this riff has resonated with wrestling fans.
“As silly as that little saying is, I really enjoy that people have really clung to it, that it’s become a moniker for hoss matches,” Big E tells me. “The term for a match between big men just running into each other with big muscles, big chests, all that jazz. I love that people still love it. I try not to mention it too much so I don’t beat it into the ground, so I don’t make it something that you guys are tired of. But I love that big meaty men is still a thing. People on a regular basis, on almost a daily basis, I see a tweet and I’m tagged in it about big meaty men, or that clip replayed over and over, and it warms my heart.
As for Big E and a return to the ring, he says he feels great as he waits for the bone in his neck to fully heal. He’s had no nerve issues, no strength issues, and calls himself fortunate and blessed to not have any displacement when he broke the C1 in two places.
“When I get back home in early April I’ll get scans and then we’ll talk to the doctors, see what that looks like, and go from there,” he says. “But I really just wanna say thank you so much. I’ve had so many people reach out. So many people give the well wishes, and even though I can’t respond to everyone, honestly, it means the world to me. Oftentimes, when you think of rehab, physically, that’s the focus. The focus is on how’s the body healing. But I know for a lot of athletes, the mental part is the hardest part, and oftentimes it’s feeling like you’re forgotten about. Like you’re away from people. But the constant outpouring of love, people reaching out, sending their well wishes, asking how I’m doing, that has definitely helped make this so much easier mentally.”
As he recovers, Big E has taken advantage of the opportunity to travel on weekends for the first time in almost 13 years since joining the business. Currently, he’s working on WWE’s NIL program and other components of the company, but he’s taking it day to day when it comes to his recovery.
What he fondly refers to as the “Neck Club” has helped him gain perspective on not rushing the process, listening to doctors, getting multiple opinions, and taking the time to make the right decision for his future. He brings up a number of individuals who have served as a support system and shown that a serious neck injury is “not a death sentence for your career.”
“Right out the gate right, I had so many people reach out,” he says. “I refer to it as a club that you really don’t want to be in, but once you’re in, it’s a pretty incredible group. It’s the Neck Club, so Edge reached out to me. Edge is honestly one of the best human beings in the business. Has always checked in on me a bunch of times. Steve Austin reached out as well. Kevin Nash, and just so many guys that I grew up loving as a kid and have been blessed enough to be in rooms with as peers have reached out because unfortunately so many of us have dealt with neck injuries to some degree.”
For now, Big E isn’t focused on ambitions to hold this title, main event a show, or anything outside of what he can control. Meditation has become something that means a lot to him and it’s given him the mentality of being present in the moment.
“As much as I still have hopes and dreams and want to plan, I’m just really more focused on where am I at today? What is the next step? What’s the next hurdle? The biggest thing, I’m really on that health is wealth kick,” he says. “And that’s the biggest thing is if I come back too quickly and this were to end catastrophically, that’s obviously not what I want or what anyone wants.
“So I’m really just focused on let’s get these scans, let’s talk to doctors,” he continues. “Let’s get these opinions, let’s see where we’re at with that. Because everything else I really can’t control. And for me to expend a lot of mental energy or being anxious or worried or sad about any of those things that I can’t control just doesn’t serve me at all. So right now, that’s really just the focus is right now just enjoying being out here for WrestleMania and like truly enjoying. I love being out in LA, it’s also a big reunion for a lot of us. And then I know when I get home, we’ll get the scans and then we’ll go on from there. But I try not to spin out of control, worrying about things that I can’t control.”
