WWE star 'Big E' suffers broken neck during Friday's SmackDown show

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Professional wrestling star “Big E” is reportedly recovering after breaking his neck in a match held Friday evening during WWE’s SmackDown show at UAB Birmingham, according to multiple reports.

“Big E,” whose real name is Ettore Ewen, apparently suffered the injury after taking a 'belly-to-belly suplex' outside of the ring. Instead of landing normally, video shows that he was spiked on his head. Reports say he was removed from Legacy Arena where the event via stretcher. Ewen said on Twitter that his C1 and C6 vertebrae were fractured, but there was no displacement , and that he suffered no damage to his spinal cord or any ligament damage. He said his injury will not require surgery.

“Big E” joined the WWE in 2009. He is a former Iowa football player and USA Powerlifting champion. He is, perhaps, most popular for his run in WWE with “The New Day,” alongside Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.

The 5-foot-11, 285 pounder has a long list of title wins within the company including holding the WWE Championship. He is also a two-time Intercontinental Champion, a two-time Raw Tag Team Champion and a six-time SmackDown Tag Team Champion.

https://www.pennlive.com/sports/2022/03/wwe-star-big-e-suffers-broken-neck-during-fridays-smackdown-show-reports.html

https://www.wbrc.com/2022/03/12/wwe-star-big-e-breaks-neck-during-smackdown-birmingham/

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-03-11/wwe-big-e-broken-neck

[jimfields33]

1. Extremely lucky.

My 92 year old aunt broke those same areas from a fall out of bed. Took a year at least to recover. Maybe him being younger may be a.bit quicker.

[True Dough]

2. Lucky is right!

He could have easily been paralyzed from that mishap.

?t=19

[underpants]

3. It's always been a really physical business

They don’t perform every night like back in the old days or even every other night but they are pretty much always hurt in some way.

Glad he seems to have missed something really tragic happening.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Was Going To Say The Same

I knew a pro wrestler. He was very good friends with a couple of people in a band I was in from 1980-1982.
He was obviously roided up, and played a babyface in Chicago area promotions.
He never made it to the big time (WCW or WWE) because he wasn't great on the mike.
But, every time we talked to him something was hurt or very sore.
Those people take quite a beating.

[Marcuse]

4. It takes more athleticism for them to avoid killing each other.