Despite enjoying some brief success in NXT , EC3 quickly lost his momentum after being promoted to the main roster. According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio , by way of Sportskeeda , Vince McMahon wasn’t a fan of the superstar.
According to the journalist, the WWE chairman lost interest in EC3 after his feud with Dean Ambrose. The former superstar was supposed to become a babyface after that. However, after he failed to connect with the audience in the first week, McMahon gave up on him.
Meltzer stated that McMahon has a tendency to dismiss performers without giving them much of a chance. However, he said that EC3 was a surprising case as he was the type of wrestler McMahon is usually a fan of, and one who has a bigger upside than most superstars with a similar physique.
“That’s what Vince does. I mean, could he have been a star… I mean, the guys a great talker, he’s got great presence in the ring, wrestling-wise so-so and I think in WWE where almost everyone’s a good worker and almost everyone gets pushed as a good worker, that so-so… you know, it’s funny because years ago, the crappiest guys would get a push because they had good bodies. This guy has a great body and can talk.”
Meltzer went on to say that EC3 would have been a huge star in the 1980s due to his body, in addition to his ability to work to an admirable standard. However, he also speculated that his work rate might not have been serviceable enough for modern standards in McMahon’s eyes.
As The Inquisitr previously documented, Ambrose — who is now known as Jon Moxley in AEW — has also talked about EC3’s short-lived push in the past. According to the former WWE Champion, EC3 was only booked to defeat him because “The Lunatic Fringe” was on his way out of the company at the time.
EC3 ended up being booed by the fans following his victory, however, which led to him receiving some backlash behind the scenes. Even though Ambrose was supposed to be the heel, he was still a huge fan favorite and the audience knew he was being asked to lose due to backstage politics.
While EC3’s push ended right away, he did enjoy some success afterward. He won the 24/7 Championship on four separate occasions, though it was a far cry from his glory days outside of the promotion.
The title is reserved for lower card performers and comedy segments. Most of the wrestlers who’ve won it in the past haven’t been part of the main event scene, and it was clear EC3 wasn’t highly regarded by management before his release earlier this year.
