Backstage News On Original WrestleMania 38 Plans For The New Day, Big E Concern At SmackDown

By Marc Middleton

WWE had plans for The New Day to reunite at WrestleMania 38 for a six-man tag team match, but that bout is up in the air due to Big E's broken neck.

As noted, last night's SmackDown on FOX saw Sheamus and Ridge Holland introduce Pete Dunne as their new partner, billed as the newest protégé of The Celtic Warrior. Dunne is now called "Butch" and he has a new look. Sheamus and Holland went on to defeat Kofi Kingston and Big E in tag team action, thanks to Butch distracting Kingston from the apron while Big E was down at ringside being checked out by medics.

It was later revealed that Big E had to be stretchered out of the ringside area, and that he legitimately suffered a broken neck in taking the belly-to-belly suplex from Holland.

In an update, WWE called Butch up to SmackDown for a six-man WrestleMania feud, according to PWInsider. The plan was to do Sheamus, Holland and Butch vs. Big E, Kingston and Xavier Woods.

The six-man match is up in the air now due to Big E's broken neck. It remains to be seen how long he will be out of action and if WWE will go with a standard tag team match if he's unable to compete.

Woods has been out of action since suffering a muscle tear during the Street Fight against SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos on the January 7 SmackDown. Woods noted then that he was expected to be out of action for 4-6 weeks, and it was recently indicated that he was close to making his return.

There's been no update on Big E since last night's post-SmackDown video from the hospital. After giving a thumbs up while being stretchered away from the ring, he was taken to a local hospital in Birmingham, AL for further testing. PWInsider adds that there was a lot of backstage concern over Big E's condition, but that was somewhat alleviated when he posted his video to Twitter.

Stay tuned for more on Big E and plans for the six-man match at WrestleMania 38. You can see related video below:

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