Former WWE champion and beloved superstar Big E legitimately hurt his neck during a match on SmackDown recently and, unfortunately, the injury he suffered was revealed to be pretty severe. Big E (real name Ettore Ewen) updated fans on the status of his injuries on social media, and the details he provided influenced a medical expert to offer his own somewhat fearful opinions about the athlete's long-term status.
For any viewers who suspected that Big E broke his neck after that suplex gone wrong, the wrestler did indeed get confirmation from physicians about the extent of his injuries. In a video posted to Twitter, Big E explained that he suffered a fracture in his C1 and C6 fracture. Check out the video below, which features Big E smiling as if he hadn't known
It’s good to see Big E in good spirits, especially after footage from SmackDown showed him being taken out of the arena on a stretcher. It goes without saying that many in the wrestling community want to see Big E (who reached a career milestone with his first WWE championship title in September) back in the ring as soon as possible, and back to his natural placement as one of the most athletic and well-liked superstars within the company's ranks. Unfortunately, the injury may not heal over as quickly as many would hope.
Dr. David Chao, who worked as a team doctor for the NFL and as a consulting physician for the WWE in the past, shared his medical expertise regarding Big E's injuries on Outkick.com. And even though he likely doesn't have the athlete's full gamut of medical info, he provided a brief analysis for how long Big E may be away from taking on matches in the ring.
The C1 fracture is most dangerous as the top cervical vertebrae is a ring and is commonly associated with immediate death or complete paralysis. Thankfully the fracture was not displaced, and he will not need surgery. However, this type of fracture often heals incompletely, and it may mean the end of his wrestling career. The C6 fracture is likely a compression injury to the vertebral body. This likely requires immobilization but not surgery. One would anticipate a minimum of three-month recovery with return to full function and activities for this lower cervical injury.
Given the other results of a C1 break, it goes without saying that Big E is fortunate he only suffered a fracture and will likely not require surgery. The bad news, unfortunately, is that this type of injury can be career-ending, in Dr. David Chao’s words. That’s definitely not something anyone wants to hear about the superstar, as he’d only just begun to reach his full potential within the WWE since going solo from his tag-team stable The New Day (and fans still want to see them reunite).
Of course, it’s important to note that this speculation, while informed, does not actually indicate exactly how Big E will heal, nor what his future status will definitely be in the WWE. As an example, wrestlers like Edge and Sting retired due to neck issues, only to later return and made big impacts in their respective spaces.
It’s far too soon to make any definitive judgments regarding what Big E’s future holds, and ultimately, fans should be thankful that he’s on the road to recovery and not worse for wear. Hopefully, he’ll be in great shape and healthy again before too long and able to return to some of the other projects he’s a part of (such as crowdfunded TV shows) if wrestling is not immediately an option.
Monday Night Raw airs on USA Network on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET, while SmackDown airs on Fox Fridays at the same time. Those looking to catch up on previous episodes need a Peacock premium subscription, which also had a plethora of other WWE Network content for fans to enjoy.
