Big E On His Early Struggles In WWE, How Being Booed Fueled The New Day To Change Their Approach

In a recent interview with Samoa Joe on WWE’s Grit and Glory series, Big E discussed his early struggles in WWE, how being booed fueled The New Day’s rise, and much more. You can read his comments below.

Big E on becoming a singles star in WWE: “For me, it was a matter of finding my voice and what felt authentic for me. I know the first seven years of my career, I thought I had to be this big tough guy. But in a world where you have guys who are taller and bigger, that role was already filled. So, for me, it was a matter of finding what feels authentic and what stands out. It was my time with The New Day that allowed me to be free and to be uninhibited. I just learned to trust myself, trust my instincts, and to be unafraid. That’s what allowed me to still be here and to have the career that I have now.”

On breaking through the struggles he had early in his WWE career: “It was hard, and it was frustrating for sure. I knew I had more to offer. I had only been maybe a year or year and a half into my run over on SmackDown, and I knew I hadn’t shown everything that I was capable of. The biggest thing for me was just staying in the game. That was one of the things I learned in developmental. You’re gonna go through ups and downs in your career, but don’t take yourself out of the game. I don’t know what’s gonna come next, I don’t know what door is gonna open, but stay in the game. Keep working, keep training, keep being in the best shape you can be, and create those opportunities for yourself. It worked out for me.”

On what fueled The New Day’s rise: “Well, for anyone who ended up watching during our early years, you know it was not easy at all. It was a rough start, for sure. But we realized from an early period and our time together that we had a special chemistry and a special bond. A lot of that bond was really forged through the tough times. and trying to get this group off the ground and trying to get it on TV. We just had that mentality of we gotta sink or swim on our own merits. I viewed it as this could be my final run and last opportunity, so I gotta give it my all. I didn’t want my career to dissolve based on me passively accepting anything I was given if it didn’t feel right. So, I knew this was it. I knew this was something special.

“I remember we were in Philadephia and we got met with loud ‘New Day sucks’ chants. We were supposed to be the good guys. We were supposed to be the guys that were cheered and beloved, but people weren’t having it. All those tough times, I’m so grateful for. That’s what brought us closer together. We didn’t quit, we didn’t say enough of this. We said we’re gonna get better, we’re gonna work harder, we’re gonna give you more of ourselves. If anything, it stoked our fire and got us more passionate about what we wanted to do and what we wanted to accomplish. I don’t know if we get this far without the tough times.”

If using any of the above quotes, please credit WWE Grit and Glory with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.