On Raw Monday, the Slammy’s Diva of the Year, as voted on by the WWE Universe, AJ Lee “introduced” her new beau, Dolph Ziggler’s nemesis John Cena, to her “friend” Big E Langston. The near 300-pound Langston laid waste to Cena with ease on Raw and did so again on the following evening’s SuperSmackDown LIVE. Earlier on SuperSmackDown LIVE, before Cena and Sheamus teamed to face Ziggler and World Heavyweight Champion Big Show in the main event, the Cenation leader told The Celtic Warrior he had competed against everyone from The World’s largest Athlete to Olympic powerlifter Mark Henry, but Langston may be the strongest man he’s ever been in the ring with.
So just how strong is Big E Langston? The new NXT Champion boasts raw power that would make 300-pound dumbbells roll away from him in fear if they could. Ziggler’s new behemoth backup competed in the 2010 USA Power lifting (USAPL) U.S. Open Championships in Davie, Fla., just a four-hour drive from his hometown of Tampa. He became not only the winning heavyweight competitor (275 pounds), but also broke all four state raw powerlifting records in the 275-pound class and broke national records in the deadlift and total combined weight lifted in the squat, bench press and deadlift. Langston’s lifts included a 611-pound squat, a 490-pound bench press and a 749-pound deadlift for a total of 1,851 pounds.
The reigning NXT Champion also won the 2011 USAPL national championship a year later in Scranton, Pa. In his second championship outing, Langston competed in the super heavyweight division (275 pounds and greater) and broke records once again with a 799-pound deadlift and total combined weight lifted in the squat, bench press and deadlift of a herculean 2,039 pounds!
With AJ on his arm, Langston watching his back and a World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank contract in hand, it may only be a matter of time before The Showoff is showing off the “Big Gold Title” around his chiseled waist.