Sad news for WWE fans as Big E officially retires from in-ring competition. Big E has been out of the ring since 2022 after suffering a freak accident that resulted in a broken neck. Nearly four years later, with him and the fans holding out hope for a full return, Big E steps away from the WWE squared circle. Regardless of the news, Big E has a lot to be proud of. Let’s take a short trip down memory lane and recall the extraordinary WWE career of Big E.
FCW and NXT
Big E, real name Ettore Ewen, had a dream of becoming a professional football player. However, due to nagging injuries and a successful Powerlifting career that saw him win big in competition, Big E would turn his attention to professional wrestling, getting recruited to the WWE farm system, then known as Florida Championship Wrestling or FCW.
Big E got into WWE’s radar by having a confidant introduce him to Jim Ross, one of the most influential figures in WWE, who was at one point the Head of Talent Relations. From 2009 to 2012, now going by Big E Langston, the mastodon worked his way through the ranks and was eventually ready enough to be called up to a new brand for rising stars known as NXT.
In NXT, Big E Langston immediately dominated, intimidating foes and even demanding the referees count to five after he hit his finisher, the Big Ending. Big E Langston defeated Seth Rollins barely a year into his NXT debut to claim the NXT Championship. It didn’t take long for the main roster to notice how talented Big E was, eventually calling him up to the show.
A Career Worthy of the WWE Hall of Fame
Big E was a size of strength, speed, agility, and look, and that’s why he immediately made an impact by attacking the “G.O.A.T” John Cena on his first night on WWE Raw as a heater for Dolph Ziggler and AJ Lee. A year into his tenure, Big E was already a champion, notching his first of two Intercontinental Championships by defeating Curtis Axel.
Directionless after that, Big E would align himself with a couple of stars that were also languishing in obscurity at that point, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, forming The New Day, and beginning their reign of dominance that nearly lasted a decade. The New Day was an extremely dominant team, and Big E was a huge part of that, as The New Day went on to win eight WWE Tag Team Championships, and even broke the 478-day record of Demolition to become the longest reigning tag team champions of all -time at 483 days.
Between 2020 and 2021, while still being a part of The New Day, but eventually getting split up as Kofi and Woods were drafted to SmackDown and Big E to Raw, Big E would turn his focus to singles competition, winning his final Intercontinental Championship against Apollo Crews.
Not long after that, Big E achieved one of the biggest wins of his career, becoming Mr. Money in the Bank. After WWE Champion Bobby Lashley would conquer “The Viper” Randy Orton in a title match on Raw, Big E would get his chance, cashing in Money in the Bank and becoming WWE Champion. Big E has a four-month-long reign that ended on WWE Day 1.
As you can see, WWE Universe, despite the sadness that comes with this news, Big E has accomplished a lot, carving out a legendary career that will inevitably land him in the WWE Hall of Fame one day. While it’s heartbreaking to let go of a much-beloved star, Big E will remain a part of WWE as an ambassador, as well as a panelist and analyst who will provide wisdom to the WWE Universe, as well as his young and veteran peers, using his over-decade-long resume.
Cheers to Big E, and hope he succeeds in whatever he chooses to do in WWE after retirement.
I entered the pro wrestling industry at age 23 with an injury history that included a Torn Left ACL, Torn Right ACL, Torn Left Pec, and a Broken Right Patella. At 39, I’m well aware, that I will one day have to pay the piper. I’ve put my body through a lot. And somehow, I feel…
— Ettore “Big E” Ewen (@WWEBigE) February 6, 2026
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