When news broke that Big E suffered a neck injury that would require surgery all the way back in January of 2022, few expected he'd still be out of action two years later, with no clear timeline for his return.

Diagnosed with a broken C1 in two places injury, Big E was immediately placed on the shelf with no clear timeline for his recovery, and even now, after extensive rehabilitation, he still hasn't been cleared to wrestle once more, assuming he has any desire to work matches once more.

Discussing his current situation in an interview on the Sarah O'Connell Show, Big E broke down his current situation and revealed some very concerning advice he received from multiple doctors that will have fans in their feelings.

“It's one of those things where I just want to make the right decision. I'm so thankful that I feel so good. In my day-to-day life, I have no restrictions. In my day-to-day life, I don't even feel like someone who had a broken neck, but I broke my C1 in two places, and it's something you often see in diving accidents, when people are diving into shallow pools or surfaces with no water, and they end up coming down on their head. Oftentimes, that is fatal for so many people. I talked to a few doctors, one who did the surgery for Tyson Kidd, who had a very severe neck injury. I also talked to the doctor they sent me to at USF. Both doctors were like, ‘Hey, please don't wrestle.' Almost begging,” Big E shared via Fightful.

“So it's just one of those things where I'm 37 now, I started wrestling when I was 23. I think about the long list of injuries that I've had, most of them from playing football. I've torn my left ACL, I've torn my right ACL, broken my right patella, torn my right patella, tore my left meniscus, tore my left pec, herniated disc in my back, a herniated disc in my neck, and broken my neck in three places. I've done a lot to my body over the years. It's something that I've really loved. I've loved being in the ring, I've loved being an athlete. But at 37 now, I also think about what life is going to look like in 10 years, what life is going to look like at 50, at 60. I want to live a good life. I don't want to be trapped in a broken vessel. So for me, it's just making the right decision. No door has been permanently closed or permanently opened or any of those things. No decision has really officially been made yet. But we'll see. I'm really thankful for health, for life, for being in such a good place, and I just want to make the best decision for myself, so we'll see.”

Goodness, while Big E admitted that the door isn't closed on his in-ring career, based on the recollection he shared from multiple doctors, it probably should be, right? From his role as WWE's NIL ambassador to his gig as MC of the Michigan Panthers, to his plethora of interesting opportunities with or without the rest of the New Day, Big E has a lot of interesting opportunities on the table that could keep fans entertained well into the future. Why jeopardize that, not to mention his long-term health, for another shot at in-ring glory when Big E's already got a Hall of Fame resume that would make most other wrestlers blush? No wonder this is such a tough conversation for all parties involved.

Big E wouldn't mind a program against Imperium.

So, while Big E may never wrestle again, that doesn't mean he can't still dream about getting back in the ring and mixing it up with his brothers in the New Day, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.

Asked who he would like to wrestle in a “Dream Match” if he returned to the ring elsewhere on his Sarah O'Connell Show appearance, Big E didn't take long to respond, suggesting that he would like to help even New Day's odds against Imperium moving forward.

“That's a hard one. There's so much great talent now, and the roster has even changed from the two years that I've been out. I think something probably like a six-man, a trios match, to do it again with Kofi and Woods. That's the best way to end things,” Big E noted via Fightful. “They've been such a big part of my career. You know what, it's a great match. Imperium is doing great things. I think there's a lot of buzz. Gunther's just been amazing, he's been on an incredible run. Obviously, they've been locking horns with Imperium, so to be back for a match like that would be big. But honestly, any six-man with the brothers, with my guys would be something that would mean a lot to me. [Facing Imperium] would be fun. It's a cool contrast of styles. They're so stoic and austere, and we're anything but. So yeah, that'd be fun.”

Selfishly, if New Day could work one more six-man match, many fans would like to see it against The Elite, as Woods and Kenny Omega have been feuding for years, and a tag match between any two of the Booty-Os sellers and the Young Bucks has the star power to sell out darn-near any arena on the planet. Still, working a program with Imperium would be a solid 1B, as Big E throwing down with Gunther would be nothing short of a treat regardless of the match format.