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Former WWE and WCW writer Vince Russo believes Big E already has “two strikes against him” as WWE Champion due to his win/loss record.
The New Day member successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on this week’s RAW to win the WWE Championship from Bobby Lashley. According to stats database Cagematch.net, the new WWE Champion has won 267 (57.1%), lost 191 (40.8%), and drawn 10 (2.1%) of his 468 televised matches.
Russo spoke about Big E’s past results on the latest episode of Sportskeeda Wrestling’s Writing With Russo with Dr. Chris Featherstone. He listed various WWE legends who, unlike Big E, built up winning streaks before capturing their first world title.
“He [Hulk Hogan] did not do the up and down, the up and down, the up and down, the mid-level programs,” Russo said. “He did not do any of that stuff. Vince [McMahon] had [Steve] Austin as The Ringmaster but, bro, for a very, very short time. Austin didn’t go through years and years [of losses]. Warrior didn’t go through years… [Randy] Savage didn’t go through years and years…
“Bro, when you’ve gone through win, loss, up, down, win, loss, up, down, Dolph Ziggler, win, loss, up, down, and all of a sudden you’re the champ, you’re really starting with two strikes against you, and it’s got nothing to do with Big E whatsoever.”
Watch the video above to hear Vince Russo explain why he fears Big E could become another Drew McIntyre. Although McIntyre won the WWE Championship twice in 2020, he often lost high-profile feuds as a heel before becoming a babyface main-eventer.
Vince Russo on the similarities between Big E and Drew McIntyre
Bruno Sammartino and Steve Austin are two of the most successful babyface WWE Champions of all time. While Sammartino defended the title against top villains from different territories, Austin’s most memorable reign came during his feud with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.
Vince Russo reiterated that Drew McIntyre and Big E’s win/loss records did not set them up to succeed in the same way as Sammartino and Austin.
“Those two scenarios [Sammartino and Austin] work. They work, bro. We have not gotten that in a very long time, and that’s when you have a Drew, who was up and down and up and down and up and down, and then it’s like, ‘Okay, let’s strap the rocket on Drew now.’ Bro, we don’t forget the past. And it’s the same with Big E. He was with New Day and they were throwing pancakes to the crowd. That’s the problem, bro. They need a fresh face that they can build,” Russo added.
Moving forward, The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods) will face The Bloodline (Roman Reigns and The Usos) on Monday’s RAW. Big E’s first WWE Championship opponent has not yet been confirmed.
Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling if you use quotes from this article.
