Big E wants to face someone besides Apollo Crews.
On the February 12 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, Big E's Intercontinental Championship Open Challenge was preempted by Apollo Crews, who insisted that he deserves another opportunity for the belt. The two men have fought for the title twice in just over a month, with Big E winning on both occasions. The longtime New Day member told Apollo that he would face anyone except him and that he should go back to catering. Shinsuke Nakamura then came out for a match, but Apollo opted to stay at ringside.
Of course, Apollo interfered, dropkicking Big E and causing a disqualification. Backstage, Big E vented about the situation, saying the following:
"We've already honestly spent too much time talking about Apollo. I've spent too much time focusing on Apollo. This is my run. Confetti reigned down from on high on Christmas Day for me, and I'm stuck in this Apollo abyss. This is business, man. Being cool in the back is great, and I do my best to be a good human too, but for me to sit here and hold his hand and say, yeah, you can get your shot number 532, keep trying Apollo. Nah man, I'm here for me. I'm here to hold this title for years, to break records, and I'm wasting my time on Apollo. Look, I've said time and time again, he's talented, I get it. This man is not worthy of holding my title. This man is not worthy of lacing my boots. He's not worthy of my position and he's hard-headed. That's the problem. He doesn't understand this. He thinks that if you are good enough you just show up one day and you get title opportunities. He doesn't know the time I've put in. He doesn't know the amount of noes I was told, the amount of doors that were slammed in my face, the amount of times I was laughed at to get to this position. I was signed by this company in 2009. I'm tired of wasting my time with Apollo Crews. I'm tired of holding his hand. I'm tired of turning the other cheek. I'm tired of him. I'm tired."
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