WWE: Big E on Potential In-Ring Return, Shawn Michaels on Trick Williams & John Cena Similarities, CM Punk on Vince McMahon Lawsuit Allegations

Big E Comments on Potential In-Ring Return Following Neck Injury

As noted before, Big E has been out of action for WWE since March of 2022 due to a broken neck injury.

CBS Sports held a recent interview with Big E. One of the topics discussed included Big E’s thoughts about the possibility of him making an in-ring return in the future.

“The great thing is they put me in control of that. Obviously, I’m listening to the doctors. They know more than I do as far as my health and prognosis. It’s one of those things where my ability to live my life day-to-day and to be in the gym is not compromised at all. But, obviously, getting in the ring and taking bumps, getting thrown on my back and my neck is a little bit different.

I’ve been doing physical things my entire life and I never wanted to leave sports hobbled and crippled,” Big E said. “Now at 38, those are considerations of mine. I want to make sure that I’m making the best decision for myself and for my health moving forward. It’s just one of those things I want to be smart about. It’s just a matter of listening to the doctors, taking in enough information, looking at my more recent set of scans and deciding if the gamble is worth it.”

Big E also gave his thoughts about the advice he has been given from Steve Austin and Adam Copeland, who dealt with their own neck injuries during their careers, to help with his decision for his in-ring career future.

“Unfortunately, neck injuries are a little bit too common in our industry. I’ve talked to a few different guys. The thing too is all of our scenarios are a little bit different. Some guys have issues with stenosis. Some guys need fusions. I didn’t have neck surgery. I was just in a hard collar for three months.

I’ve been so thankful for so many of the guys I grew up loving and watching as a kid, so many legends who wanted to reach out and share what they went through when they had their neck injuries. I’m so grateful to all of them for following me to ask questions and their offering advice has been helpful too.”

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Shawn Michaels Comments on Similarities Between Trick Williams and John Cena

WWE recently released a new video featuring WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels and NXT talent Trick Williams watching several of Michaels classic WrestleMania matches. During the video, Michaels gave his thoughts about his match against John Cena at WrestleMania 23 and the similarities between Cena and Williams.

“I don’t know if it effects you sometimes, but John was in a position where he was the champion, but I think people weren’t sure if he was ready yet. Never let that stuff stop you. He never let that kind of stuff, that doubt, slow him down.

He knew within himself that he was ready to take on the best. Whether it was Hunter [Triple H], myself, Undertaker. John had a lot to prove to a lot of people. You and him are similar in that respect. Sometimes, it’s going to have to take you having to mow down guy after guy after guy to earn that respect from your peers. That’s how you do it; in these big times matches, one after another. Just clicking them off. That’s exactly what he did.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

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CM Punk Comments on Vince McMahon Sex Trafficking Lawsuit Allegations

A recent episode of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani show featured CM Punk as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Punk’s thoughts about if he had a face-to-face meeting with Vince McMahon for his return to WWE.

“I saw him at the towers. Monday before Thanksgiving, get a phone call, we realized we could do this. Nick Khan, ‘If it doesn’t happen by Saturday. Royal Rumble.’ I was like, ‘Nick, I don’t want to give away any leverage in negotiations, but Saturday is the business. It has to happen.’ Hammering out a deal. Saturday, debut. Sunday, I’m at home and I’m like, ‘Man, this is strange. I don’t know what we’re doing, where we’re going, but it feels right.’ I get a call, ‘We should get you travel to TV.’ I fly to Nashville. I went home and I can’t remember where I flew from there, but it was SmackDown. That night they were like, ‘You want to come on the jet and do NXT?’ ‘Yeah, sounds great.’ We’re flying by the seat of our pants and doing this stuff real last minute. I got a tour of the new tours and the gym. I was on the phone, on the treadmill, warming up. Vince’s trainer is like, ‘You have to get off the phone. Vince doesn’t like it when people are on the phone in the gym.’ I was on the phone with Nick. I’m like, ‘Okay.’ I saw him walking down and into the gym. He came in for his daily workout. He gave me a big hug. He said, ‘Welcome home, good to see you. Let’s connect after I work out.’ Haven’t seen him since.”

Punk also gave his thoughts about the sex trafficking and sexual abuse lawsuit allegations against Vince McMahon.

“There is no positivity there. I didn’t read all the allegations. I read text messages. I went, ‘Oh, fuck this.’ It’s indefensible. The easiest thing for people to do is ignore it or avoid it. It’s there. My initial, first thing out of my mouth was, ‘I’m kind of shocked at how dumb he was writing stuff down and leaving that paper trail.’ It’s horrific. At this point, all the energy should be used to, I don’t know if you can, but make reparations or amends. There are victims here. What CM Punk thinks about Vince and the CM Punk-Vince relationship doesn’t fucking mean anything. All that stuff takes a backseat. I’m more concerned about going forward, how do those people survive after suffering all of that trauma? That’s my biggest concern.”

Punk also gave his thoughts about if he had any idea of McMahon’s alleged behavior from working with McMahon during his prior time in WWE.

“No. The biggest thing I can draw a comparison to is when Chris Benoit did a murder-suicide. I was friends with Chris Benoit. I don’t know if it’s just how I process things, but I’m famously on camera weeping, saying goodbye to Chris because, at the time, we didn’t know. We didn’t know he had murdered his wife and son. The week prior, we’re in Alabama, I’m traveling with him, we’re on the road, and he grabs me and runs me into the trainer’s room, he points and his son is in the corner taping up his hands and drawing Xs on his hands. Coming to terms with, that’s my friend, he did this horrible thing. Obviously, fuck him, fuck that. I don’t have memories of Chris Benoit traveling with me and murdering people at the gym. There was never any instances where I was in a room with Vince and he’s shitting on somebody or sexually assaulting somebody. We just didn’t see it. There is that part of me that goes, just like Benoit, ‘Okay, I can see that.’ People are shocked their friend or mentor is responsible for doing these horrible things. I guess I’m pragmatic and I looked at it like, ‘I can see that.’ It’s very hard to reconcile. I heard what Becky said. Vince is a father figure to a lot of people. Vince liked and developed those father relationships. That’s why he was always fascinated with me because I was like, ‘Fuck you, I have a dad. You’re my boss. Let’s keep it that way.’ It’s been wild, all that shit. It’s sad. He ruined his life ruining other people’s lives. There is very much a part of me, ‘You got him. Good. Shuffle him into the basement.'”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com