PODCAST: WWE star Big E on The New Day, Manila, scariest career moment

Ryan Songalia

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PODCAST: WWE star Big E on The New Day, Manila, scariest career moment
Big E of the Tag Team Champions The New Day speaks with Rappler about the WWE's upcoming visit to Manila and more

MANILA, Philippines – They don’t call him Big E for nothing. Standing at nearly 6-feet tall and being billed at close to 300 pounds, Big E has been one of the most physically imposing forces in World Wrestling Entertainment since debuting on the main roster in 2012. He now brings the pain as one third of the WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day, alongside Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.

Big E and The New Day will be a part of the WWE Live Manila event on Saturday, September 9 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Philippines. The show will be the WWE’s first in the Philippines since 2009, and the company’s only visit to Southeast Asia in 2016.

Below are some of the highlights from Big E’s 15-minute conversation with Rappler Sports editor Ryan Songalia.

On making his New Day tag partners laugh when coming up with ideas…

Big E: “Honestly, that’s the whole point, is to pop each other. And if the fans laugh, then that’s like an added bonus. 

“And it’s honestly for one percent of the audience sometimes that understands the joke. But for the most part, I think, what we try to do, we try to appeal to a larger demographic as well, but we like to keep the small stuff too that the fans can pick up on.”

On The New Day’s current feud with The Wyatt Family…

Big E: “I think it’s a stark contrast from the feuds that we’ve had in the past, which tended to be based around physicality. There isn’t often times a lot more depth – one of the things we like is that in a different way that we would go back and forth with Enzo and Cass, which is more just cracking jokes back and forth. Obviously we’re still gonna be us, but I think with Bray, and the way he controls the mic and – is you know, one of the better talkers of our generation.  I think it definitely adds a different challenge for us, and a new wrinkle. I think this program is just going to show a different side of both teams and feel fresh.”

On which video game he dominates Xavier Woods in…

Big E: “Woods is pretty phenomenal at all games for the most part, but UFC 2 I’ve got his number in, so that must be the one game. He’s not actually great at sports games. That’s really not his thing, so, most sports games, I think I got him, and that’s about it.”

On accidentally hitting AJ Lee before his RAW debut match in 2013…

Big E: “That was, at the time, probably the most frightening moment in my career. It probably still is.

“I remember swinging back and knowing that I hit her, and I was expecting to turn around, see this tiny woman on the ground in a pool of blood. I don’t know what I would have done after that, probably just walk straight to the back. But thankfully, she’s very tough, it ended up hitting her, in, like, her chest or upper torso region, not her face, she was fine. We ended up having a laugh about it later but that could have been really bad, but thankfully, everything’s all good.”

On coming to Manila…  

Big E: “I was in grad school 7 years ago, right before I got signed, I was supposed to go. Actually, the reason I got my passport, the very first time, was to go to Manila, we were actually gonna help set up some sports camps. I was actually excited about it, but I actually ended up getting signed by WWE, and obviously couldn’t make the trip.

“I’ve been doing some research about the Philippines, and obviously, knowing how important Manny Pacquiao was as an ambassador for the country and for his people has been very cool as well.

“Hopefully we’re back in the Philippines regularly, but it’s one of those things we’ll treasure because we don’t get to do a trip like that very often. So we’re all very excited about having shows in Manila, and it should be a lot of fun.” – Rappler.com


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