There was a time when Big E looked like he was the next big thing in professional wrestling.

A do-it-all powerhouse who was as strong as he was charismatic, Big E transitioned from FCW standout to one of the most popular people in the promotion period as a member of the New Day, where he entertained fans for years alongside Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, while going on to win 13 titles runs over his reign on the top of the card in the process.

And yet, now that he's on the proverbial shelf with a neck injury that may ultimately finish off his professional wrestling career, Big E has found himself with a few new roles as a member of the WWE Universe, namely as a brand ambassador and as a talent scout who helps to find the next generation of college athletes who could try their hands at the pro game much like he did before.

So, with that second part in mind, it's very interesting to hear that, in an appearance on Busted Open Radio, Big E named not one but two NXT standouts that he feels could be the future of the business, including one who followed a very similar path to the pros as his own.

“I really do [think Carmelo Hayes is the future]. Man, he’s young, super athletic – Bron Breakker as well,” Big E said via WrestleTalk.

“Bron’s another dude who I just think is immensely [talented] and a humble dude with his lineage, how he’s played in the NFL a bit, and all the things he’s done. We did the Oklahoma spring game because he’s helping out with recruiting. We were both there together and talking to him, and I feel like he has the right mindset for wanting to get better and wanting to learn from others, too.

“So when you’re around guys like that who are young and hungry and want to learn and aren’t arrogant, it’s really cool to see.”

Is it surprising to see Hayes and Breakker connected again? In a word, no, as they've been paired off and groomed as a pair of acts that could feud their way to a WrestleMania main event if Paul “Triple H” Levesque plays his cards right. If they can get there, however, remains to be seen, as surefire futures in the WWE Universe can change in an instant, as Big E's story clearly proves.

Big E has nothing but praise for this former WWE Superstar.

Elsewhere on his one-man media tour to promote… WWE in general (?), Big E stopped by Hot 97, where the topic of recently released Superstar Dolph Ziggler came up due to their shared history and vast experience riding the proverbial roads together over the past decade-plus.

Though Big E wasn't around as much as before during Ziggler's final year with the promotion, he still wished his long-time friend well and celebrated his abilities in the ring.

“I just have a lot of respect for him. At the time, he didn’t really need me. I felt like the company was trying to force him to have a heater, and he was over enough, he was willing it enough to not need me,” Big E said via Fightful. “He should have had that opportunity without me, without all that stuff. So I appreciate him kind of taking me under his wing. When I first started, my very first moment on the main roster was laying out John Cena in Philly to close the show. So I am so appreciative of that opportunity. To get to travel the world with Dolph, to learn from him, to be ringside… I still remember vividly, it was at Madison Square Garden, the main event is Cena and Ziggler in a Steel Cage. I’m there ringside, I’m there listening, hearing the crowd, learning. So it was the best learning experience being under Dolph. He’s the smoothest [in the ring], no one’s better. So salute to him, and I just appreciate all he did for me and my career. But yeah, he’s the man.”

Since wrestling their first match at a RAW House Show in Katar in February of 2013 and their first televised match at, if you can believe it, WrestleMania XXIX in a Tag Team Title match against Team Hell No, Daniel Bryan and Kane, just a few months later, Ziggler and Big E shared the ring on 85 occasions, working as both a team and as enemies during their decade-spanning time on the main roster together. Though both men obviously went on to bigger and better things, their initial team-up made for the majority of their respective matches in 2013 and helped to lay the groundwork for sky-high success in the future.