Big E talked with Yahoo! Sports about his singles run opportunity, and why it’s important to have Black wrestlers represented in WWE.
“This is all kind of coming out of nowhere,” Big E said. “I feel confident that I am ready for this. The interesting thing and weird thing is we don’t have that organic response. I hope people enjoy this run, I hope it’s good and entertaining, I hope all of the people who have clamored for this for years are not disappointed.”
Back in June, Kingston and Big E kneeled in the ring before one of their matches to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Something Big E previously said Vince McMahon was very much supportive of when they approached him about the idea.
Big E noted positive representation is important for fans who watch the product, but also wants to make sure he remains unique, and not just a replica of Black wrestlers from the past.
“I will say, all of us, truly talented, hard-working Black entertainers, none of us want to get opportunities because we are Black,” Big E stated. “I’m certainly not saying this is the case now, but I want to show people that I am worthy of this opportunity and this spot.
“I [also] think representation matters. It matters to see people like you, who look like you, doing well. I never wanted to be put in the box where they say ‘This is how a muscular Black wrestler should perform.’ As much as I love Ron Simmons, I never wanted to be a copy of Ron Simmons or of so many of the Black wrestlers I watched as a kid. I wanted to be a one of one. I wanted to be someone who cannot be easily replaced because what I do is different than what anyone else does.”
Big E faced The Miz on this past Friday’s SmackDown, picking up a victory via submission.
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