WWE Champion Big E did an interview with Sports Illustrated following Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view event. Here are some of the highlights:
Wanting to wrestle AJ Styles:
“I can’t say yes to that idea any stronger or louder,” said E. “Styles is a pioneer. I have so much respect for what he’s done throughout his career. If his whole career stopped before he got to WWE, he still would have been one of the best of this generation. The fact that he was able to do everything he did outside of here, and then come here and keep cooking, it’s amazing. I have so much respect for him as a performer. We’ve had a few interactions, and we had a couple matches with Y2AJ [Styles and Chris Jericho] when they were together, but I would love a proper one-on-one program with him. He is ideal—he’s so good, his offense is so believable, and I could fly around him.”
Defending the WWE Title against Bobby Lashley on tonight’s Raw:
“Every time the red light is on, I feel so immersed in my craft and so present,” said E. “The whole top shelf has opened up, and I have so many brand-new options and fresh matchups. I’m planning on making this match with Bobby a barn-burner. Our whole history is only two weeks, so it’s still new to me, and I am going to put everything I have into making it special and mean something.”
Being a top star:
“You know you’re the guy when you’re working on top and closing the show,” said E. “That’s the spot, and you’ve got to put work in to get there. That’s the spot I want. But I’m not going to complain about it—because I know the only way you earn that spot is through your performances. I’ve got to go out there on a nightly basis and do my work. Now the work begins, and I’m excited for the opportunity to have great match after great match after great match, and that’s what I plan on doing on Raw against Bobby Lashley.”