Former WWE champion Big E suffered a broken neck on Smackdown in an incident during the tag team match with Kofi Kingston against Sheamus and Ridge Holland. E was on the receiving end of a belly-to-belly suplex at ringside from Holland and unfortunately landed on his head.
The New Day lost their match when Kingston took the pinfall from Sheamus after the debut of Pete Dunne, who is now going by the name of Butch.
After Smackdown went to commercials, WWE medical personnel stretchered out Big E and he was sent straight to a hospital in the Birmingham area where Smackdown was being taped.
In a video posted at around 4AM, Big E then gave the unfortunate news that he broke his neck.
“I can’t thank all of you beautiful people enough for your concern and your messages, it’s very heartwarming. I can move all of my digits, that’s always a good thing, strength feels fine. But unfortunately, right now they tell me my neck is broken, so there’s that,” E said. “But once again, thank you everybody, I’ll be good…don’t worry…go to sleep…don’t worry about ‘ol me. But for real, thank you. I appreciate all of you. For real.”
— Ettore “Big E” Ewen (@WWEBigE) March 12, 2022