One of the things about being a pro wrestling enthusiast of a certain age is that if you pay attention and watch long enough, magical things can start to happen. Growing up as an avid Saturday afternoon WWF viewer, it was rare to see two Black guys wrestling each other in the main event, let alone holding the company’s biggest championship. Fast forward three decades, and we’ve progressed to the point where Big E, who’s been grinding in the WWE since he signed with the brand in 2009, becoming their second NXT champion in January of 2013 (back when he’d beat his opponent so bad that he’d demand a five-count as opposed to the standard three-count). Over the years, Big E’s won over the entire WWE universe...and the pro wrestling industry in general. Don’t believe me? Run back to September 13, 2021, when the timeline erupted after Big E cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to end Bobby Lashley’s WWE Championship reign at 196 days.
As a part of The New Day, Big E has entertained while stacking championships; those who keep score say that he’s now the WWE’s thirty-third Triple Crown champion, and this WWE Championship win (his first) puts him in the rarified air of being an African American WWE heavyweight champion. Much of this was due to the work he put in over the last calendar year as a singles performer; his work netted him an Intercontinental Championship win to celebrate during the 2020 holidays, as well as garnering him the Money in the Bank contract win back in July (making him the first African American to win the briefcase) that he used to get this win.
Less than 24 hours after winning the WWE Championship, Big E hopped on a call with Complex to discuss the historic event, from what he was doing in Gorilla before cashing in to how he spent the rest of Monday night. He also speaks on being the WWE Champion during this important time for representation for Black pro wrestlers specifically, as well as his first thoughts on what he’d like to see happen during his reign as chamopion. He even gives us an update on Our Heroes Rock! and shouts out some of his current favorite Black pro wrestlers. The next chapter for Big E starts NOW!