Big E says he salutes Lio Rush for ‘being out of the box’
Lio Rush’s recent run as his alter ego “Blackheart” Lio Rush has earned immense praise from WWE’s Big E.
Recently speaking with Westwood One Sports, Big E praised Rush for his creativity and “being out of the box.”
“Lio [Rush] is absolutely committed. He’s a guy that we got to share a locker room with when he was in WWE, he was managing Bobby Lashley. He didn’t really get that opportunity to demonstrate his ability. He’s such an incredible professional wrestler. I know there’s a lot of varying opinions on the gimmick, but look, I’m all for trying something different, being out of the box, being different. I feel like Lio Rush has had so many different incarnations in his career,” E said.
“He’s a guy where I just salute because he’s done so many different things. He’s still rapping; he’s been just different variations of this character and this idea. I think he’s really a bold performer, and I have a ton of respect for people that just take chances. Even if things flop, even if things don’t connect with everyone, you can take chances and do things different.
“There are a lot of incredible professional wrestlers, but I get a little bored of just seeing people come out in tights and have good matches. I want to be able to connect with you as a character and as a performer. I want to be able to understand your story. I think he’s doing a really phenomenal job just being unique, man, being out of the box.”
Rush’s Blackheart gimmick is one of the most talked-about gimmicks in pro-wrestling currently. Rush’s creativity and run as the Blackheart helped him gain more TV time and opportunities, including winning the ROH TV Championship.
Shounak Chakrabarti is an experienced sports journalist with a lifelong passion for athletics and storytelling. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Journalism from the University of Leeds and joined F4WOnline in 2025.
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