Big E Langston has just landed at home in Tampa, Fla., following a busy weekend of WWE Live Events and television broadcasts. Just the night before, the nearly 300-pound Superstar was in Dayton, Ohio, for WWE SmackDown. To some, it may seem like yesterday that Langston was a relative unknown cutting his teeth in NXT, but his meteoric rise to dominance has come as little surprise to the man himself.

Since manhandling John Cena during his very first appearance on WWE television, Langston has wowed and amazed the WWE Universe with his nearly unmatched power and intensity. It’s a trait that WWE’s newest face learned at the tender age of 8 years old.  

Watch Langston attack Cena on Raw | Photos of Langston's debut
    
“I had sand weights and an old rusty bar I kept in the garage,” Langston told WWE.com. “On Saturdays, I'd watch TV and do curls during the commercial breaks until I reached 100 reps.”
    
The dedication to training helped catapult Langston to an amateur wrestling state championship in high school. Always one to seek out a new challenge, Langston would continue his athletic career as a defensive lineman at the University of Iowa.  

“I train as hard as I do to be the most impressive specimen,” he said. “After all, they don't pay me by the hour.”
    
That mantra would prove an apt subtitle for the next chapter in his career.

When Langston joined WWE’s developmental system, he did so in hope of pursuing a dream to be the absolute best. He patiently learned the ins and outs of the squared circle as his body and mind grew. Just like his explosive behavior in the gym, Langston brought the same attitude to the ring when it mattered most in NXT.  

Photos of Langston on NXT

“Big E brings a style and intensity to the game that few competitors have the ability to bring,” NXT Head Trainer Bill DeMott told WWE.com. “It’s not enough to just be a big guy. You have to be able to move and operate in a way that gives you the advantage night after night.”

Langston’s advantage proved unstoppable when he captured the NXT Championship and reigned supreme each and every week inside the NXT Arena. Choosing to pin his opponents utilizing the count of five, Langston quickly became the most popular star on NXT. His success only furthered his lifelong attraction to the gym. With a renewed focus on weights, it was only fitting that during a workout Langston had an epiphany that would change his life.  

“I just knew I was ready for WWE,” he said.“When that NXT Arena became unglued for the five count, I knew I'd be big … pun intended.”

Fast-forward to an unexpected alliance with Dolph Ziggler and AJ Lee, and the rest is history. After all, not many Superstars can lay claim to making their in-ring debut at WrestleMania. Langston teamed with Dolph Ziggler to challenge then-WWE Tag Team Champions Team Hell No.

“Losing at WrestleMania only doubled the chip on my shoulder,” Langston admitted.

Today, Langston maintains that his gym time is the cornerstone of his in-ring success. With a ample motivation and super human strength to match, his rise appears unlimited. Good news for him, bad news for his opposition.

How strong is Big E Langston?

Below are just a few of Big E Langston’s weightlifting achievements:

• Bench Press: 575 pounds
• Squat: 750 pounds
• Deadlift: 806 pounds