Big E Ready to Elevate His Spot by Climbing the Ladder at 'Money in the Bank'
Timing is a factor that cannot often be controlled, but rather a result of serendipitous actions that lead to a force of action naturally occurring.
When the timing is right, it needs to be seized—and the timing is opportune for WWE to take a chance and make Big E a world champion, beginning with a win on Sunday at Money in the Bank in the ladder match.
“If it’s my time to grab that briefcase, I will do everything in my power to make it unique and to make it different,” said Big E, whose name is Ettore Ewen. “It would be a new challenge, one that I would love to take on.”
A victory in the Money in the Bank ladder match would serve as the next step in Big E’s career ascent. The winner of the match is guaranteed a world title shot, and the timing of the pay per view couldn’t be better for Big E, who will have a full crowd behind him at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
“I know we often see heels in that position,” said Ewen. “I would love to bring a whole new energy to this.”
Ewen was part of the main event on Friday’s SmackDown, wrestling Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, and Shinsuke Nakamura in a four-way. All four will be involved in the Money in the Bank ladder match, which appeared to foreshadow a win for Rollins, who stomped out Big E to win the SmackDown match and then enjoyed a brief moment with the briefcase.
This could be some misdirection on WWE’s part. It is possible that Vince McMahon and his team will opt to go a different route on Sunday, running with a babyface as the winner. Big E is a prime candidate to win, especially considering he cut the go-home interview following SmackDown. This takes place solely for the live audience after the show is off the air, and it is a spot reserved for the top babyfaces in the company.
“It felt amazing to be out there,” said Ewen. “There is nothing like that crowd reaction, and nothing like looking someone in the eyes, someone that paid for a ticket to come to the show. I had the chance to go out there and close the show, doing what I love.
“I’m so grateful for our fans. I had the chance to say thank you to everyone for being so loud and being so passionate. It was a beautiful moment, and it gave me this renewed sense of energy.”
Connecting with a global audience is a vastly difficult task, particularly without the benefit of playing the villain. Yet Ewen has flourished as a babyface in an era where that is extremely hard to do. He connects through his charisma, power, intelligence and heart—a combination that continues to carry him to new heights.
“It would be very easy to have New Day fatigue if there wasn’t so much love for us,” said Ewen, referring to his partnership with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. “I can’t believe we’ve been babyfaces this long. We’re coming from a very authentic place, showing the world who we are. I really think that people recognize that this is us. It is a very real bond, a very real chemistry, and there is a genuine love for what we do.”
Ewen signed with WWE a dozen years ago. This December will mark his ninth year on the main roster. While he is a decorated champion, he is still seeking his first-ever run as world champ. Witnessing him climb that next step, beginning at Money in the Bank, would be a captivating journey.
“This is all new ground for me, and it’s such an exciting time,” said Ewen. “There are going to be no regrets. I will do everything in my power to bring something special to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
More From Justin Barrasso:
