Former WWE champion Big E said he was "grateful" after doctors told him he's expected to make a complete recovery, despite a recent setback, from a broken neck suffered earlier this year.

During an exclusive interview ESPN on Wednesday, Big E, whose real name is Ettore Ewen, his fractured C1 vertebra was not ossifying, or forming bone, but added that "the great news is I feel tremendous and surgery is off the table," while providing an update on his recovery last week via Twitter.

The longtime New Day member elaborated on the post Wednesday, saying he will be re-evaluated six and nine months removed from the injury, which occurred during a live broadcast of SmackDown in March, but doctors don't expect to have a clear answer until his scheduled evaluation one year later.

Ewen, 36, fractured two cervical vertebrae, C1 and C6, after accidentally being dropped on his head and onto the mat outside the ring while taking a suplex from fellow wrestler Ridge Holland.

The former WWE champion said doctors told him the injury could have been even more severe and possibly "led to stroke, paralysis or death."

"It's very sobering to hear that... I think to be great at something like [pro wrestling], or at least to be competent, you can't spend all your time worrying about possibly fatal injuries or breaking your neck," Ewen said via ESPN. "You have to go out there and be free and in the moment. I think a lot of us as performers don't spend a lot of time thinking about that stuff. I never thought I would be."

Ewen shared multiple video updates while wearing a neck brace shortly after the injury took place and said he was fortunate to avoid suffering any displacement to his spine or any spinal cord, ligament or nerve damage, which allowed him to recover without the need for surgery.

"I got some really good news, all things considered," Ewen said in a video shared from his hospital bed on his verified Twitter account on March 12, hours after the injury took place. "The C1 and C6 are indeed fractured, not displacement, though, which is a very good thing and I don't have any damage to my spinal cord, no ligament damage, and no surgery, which I'm very thankful for."

Ewen also expressed his gratitude for the University of Birmingham hospital staff and all the colleagues and fans who reached out to him following his injury on Saturday.

"It's meant a ton to me that so many of you have been so kind and reached out, stopped in to see me, texted me. I feel like I sound like a broken record but I am very grateful and I'mma be alright. It's a blessing."

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