Ettore Ewen, popularly known as Big E, is an American professional wrestler and former powerlifter. Currently signed with WWE, Big E is recovering from a neck injury sustained during a match. Before his wrestling career, Big E was a collegiate football player at the University of Iowa. However, his dream of becoming a professional football player was cut short due to injuries. Transitioning to powerlifting, he quickly made a name for himself by breaking several Florida state records and winning the 2011 USAPL Raw Nationals.
In 2009, Big E joined WWE’s developmental brand, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), upon the recommendation of Jim Ross. Under the ring name Big E Langston, he captured the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship with Calvin Raines. When WWE rebranded FCW to NXT, Big E debuted with an impressive winning streak and captured the NXT Championship by defeating Seth Rollins. This success set the stage for his eventual transition to WWE’s main roster.
Big E made his main roster debut during his NXT tenure, aligning with AJ Lee and Dolph Ziggler. He later went on to win the Intercontinental Championship, holding it for an impressive 167 days. In 2014, Big E joined forces with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods to form The New Day. The trio became one of WWE’s most successful factions, winning multiple tag team championships and earning several accolades, including WWE’s “Men’s Tag Team of the Year” in 2019.
After The New Day split during the 2020 Draft, Big E returned to singles competition and captured the Intercontinental Championship for the second time. In 2021, he won the Money in the Bank briefcase and successfully cashed it in on Bobby Lashley to become the WWE Champion. His title reign lasted 110 days before ending in a fatal five-way match at WWE’s Day 1 pay-per-view. Unfortunately, a serious neck injury during a tag team match in 2022 has kept him out of action since.
Big E’s net worth in 2023 is estimated to be around $6 million, primarily earned through his wrestling career and promotional activities. His annual salary is approximately $500,000, with additional income from live events and merchandise sales. As part of The New Day, Big E contributed to the success of their iconic Booty O’s cereal, a fan-favorite product in WWE stores.
Outside the ring, Big E owns a luxurious $1.4 million villa in Los Angeles and a collection of high-end cars, including a Bugatti Veyron, Tesla Model S, and McLaren 720S. His media presence extends to television and movies, with appearances in Countdown (2016) and Netflix’s Escape the Undertaker (2021). He has also been featured in 11 WWE video games, most recently in WWE 2K23.
Big E is known for his philanthropic efforts, supporting causes like Make-A-Wish, Susan G. Komen, and Black Lives Matter. He has also raised funds for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and other charitable organizations. Despite being sidelined due to his injury, Big E continues to contribute to WWE through promotional activities and remains a beloved figure among fans. His legacy as a WWE Champion and a member of The New Day is firmly cemented, making him one of the most influential figures in modern wrestling.
