Big E occupied the main event spot at WWE Survivor Series, taking on Roman Reigns in a champion vs. champion bout.
While no belts were on the line -- but brand supremacy was at stake -- Big E proved that he could hang with the man who is the face of WWE and the top star in the company.
Speaking to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated after the bout, Big E reflected on sharing the ring with Reigns.
“This was my first singles main event on a pay-per-view, and to do it with Roman means even more,” Big E said. “Our paths were different, but after the match, we reflected on spending our days, circa 2010, together in that FCW warehouse. We were not making much money but we were very hungry. His strength and athleticism are real. He even got me up in that powerbomb. I thought he was going to bail on it, but he had that second surge to get me up. Until you’re in the ring with him, people just don’t fully realize how good he is. He’s an incredible performer on an incredible run, and you can’t take away anything from him.“
Big E has usually been the dominant force in the ring given his strength, but he fought from underneath against Reigns, a role that wasn't familiar for him, but he still managed to excel.
“I can’t say that I’m a guy that’s always fought from underneath—I debuted as Dolph Ziggler’s bodyguard and I dropped John Cena, so I can’t pretend that I was never given anything,” Big E said. “But I’m a guy that is barely 5' 11"; I didn’t have all these accolades coming into the business, and even though I’m not the Roman type, it’s all about that fight for me. My life has been filled with learning how to get up after getting knocked down.”
There is no break for Big E as he will be part of WWE Raw on Monday with number one contender Seth Rollins awaiting him.
If you missed anything from WWE Survivor Series, check out Fightful's full report on the show by clicking here.
