Severe Neck Injury and Medical Advice Force Former Champion into Early Retirement
Ettore Ewen, famously known to wrestling fans as Big E, has closed the door on a potential ring return four years after a devastating neck injury. The former world champion suffered a fractured C1 vertebra during a live SmackDown broadcast in March 2022, altering his career trajectory forever.
Medical specialists strongly advised against a return due to the nature of his spinal fusion, where cartilage formed instead of ossifying into solid bone. Doctors practically begged the 40-year-old veteran to reconsider stepping into the ring, leading to immense relief when he expressed his intentions to retire.
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"When I told him I think I"m going to call it quits, he almost literally breathed a sigh of relief,' Big E revealed in a recent interview. He emphasized that listening to leading spinal experts who possess far greater knowledge of the risks was the only logical choice for his long-term health.
Beyond medical concerns, personal happiness heavily influenced his decision as he prepares for his upcoming marriage to his fiancée, Kristen. Ewen noted that taking unnecessary physical gambles was no longer justifiable, expressing immense satisfaction with his new life outside the squared circle.