EC3 Reveals The Only Reason He Returned To Impact Before Signing With ROH

Ring of Honor star EC3 sat down with Wrestling Epicenter to promote ROH's PPV Best in the World. EC3 is scheduled to wrestle Flip Gordon on the show tonight and he discussed what got him excited about this upcoming match.

"I'm intrigued by what would happen between Flip and me as we built to this match," EC3 said. "We have not had that many altercations. There's a lot of story to tell. There's a lot of differences in similarities which humanizes people that I think could be exploited for some in depth storytelling. We've had minimal reactions, interactions on television. But seeing as we tagged and he notably cheated in a match at the 19th Anniversary Show I found out an answer to a question I've had, 'is Honor real?' When I wrestled Jay Briscoe I did find out that Honor truly is real in professional wrestling. It is not the dilapidated degrading industry that I thought it was. Honor still exist and to be honorable is to not cheat.

"So Flip, I like what he's done with himself. I like he's taking away the things like the actual flips, and things of that nature with people that would clap for him aimlessly. We have no context of substance and he's adding in that substance. So a talent like that is compelling and I'm interested in not only competing with, but showing them the way. Showing them to take back control. Fight for freedom, find their purpose. As far as that though, I respect him and I've been watching him for a very long time. At Best in the World I prove that and to be the best in the world, you have to win."

EC3 joined Ring of Honor in October of 2020 and would sign with them earlier this year, nearly a year after his release from WWE. He confirmed that he did receive offers from other companies, but that ROH was ultimately the right fit for him.

"Yes, the phone rang elsewhere," EC3 said. "But Ring of Honor is something I've never done. And it's a storied brand and a legacy that is reinventing itself. It's finding its own new purpose. It's something that I want to help build and create. I don't want to go somewhere where I'm just an interchangeable part. I want to go somewhere, create something, build something, make something special happen based on the hard work I can put in."

Before that EC3 did return to Impact Wrestling briefly, reuniting with the company that gave him his first major push years ago. Today EC3 states that wasn't so much about him but about helping out someone he considers a major talent.

"That was not about me. It was about Moose," EC3 revealed. "Because Moose has a talent and what the Essential Character sees is talents who don't truly show who they are. I wanted to bring that out of him. That was my sole reason for returning to Impact. That and also to end Ethan Carter the Third once and for all as that name serves me no more."

Finally EC3 was asked what his ultimate goal is in ROH and who he would like to face. His answer should come as a surprise to no one.

"Whoever is the World Heavyweight Champion," EC3 said. "If it is Rush, it's Rush. I guess we will find out this Sunday at Beast in the World on FITE TV and pay per view!"

You can watch the full interview below.