Big E did an interview with Sports Illustrated to reflect on his first run as WWE Champion that ended at Day 1. Here are the highlights:
The reign:
“I wanted it to be a five-course meal, and it was more of an appetizer. I’m overly critical of my work to begin with, so I wouldn’t say I was happy with it. My hope was to knock it out of the park, and I fell a bit short. So it’s motivating to start that climb back.”
Not being like Kofi Kingston as someone who was WWE Champion to not holding it again:
“I don’t want to position it as learning from Kofi’s missteps,” Ewen says. “I know what his intentions were, and mine would have been the same. He didn’t do anything wrong. But I have learned that losing this title hurts.
“I love being myself and being entertaining, but you can’t go from dropping a world championship to saying everything is golden. This title meant a lot to me, and it meant to a lot of people, too. My focus is clawing back to that spot.”
Becoming the face of WWE and his media appearances:
“There is a lot that comes with being WWE champion, and I took a lot of pride in that,” Ewen said. “Going on Breakfast Club and doing media throughout the country, I know all the good that came with this and everything we were able to do outside the ring. And there is so much more to accomplish.”
Possibly winning the Men’s Royal Rumble Match:
“Winning the Rumble would be incredible,” Ewen said. “That’s in St. Louis at a great venue in The Dome, and it would be a real moment. This is my chance to show another side of me. It’s time to turn up the intensity. My role with The New Day is so often comedic relief, but I don’t want to be one-dimensional. I want to be as well-rounded and as whole a performer as possible.”
Another possible WWE Title run:
“I am very grateful for my title run, but I still have a lot more to prove,” Ewen said. “I want to establish myself as one of the guys of this era, so my goal is to build multiple reigns. There is so much more I need to do with that title. We’re just getting started, and this is my chance to start my climb back.”