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Mike Johnson: [Laughs] Thoughts on potential homes for EC3 going forward and fans who are automatically assuming this means an Impact return at the pay-per-view?
EC3: One thing is I'm never going to do what you think I'm going to do ever, at least now. I will never conform to the easy option. So when I say I'm going to get in a fight July 18th, I'm immediately getting into a fight when that clock turns to midnight. So there's no shows run July 18th at midnight, right?
Mike Johnson: So perhaps we should be looking on your Facebook at midnight. Is that what you're saying?
EC3: Perhaps. That'd be a good place to go. Maybe it's my Instagram Live. Maybe it's on my Twitter. Who knows? But yes, I will be in the fight July 18th, and as far as future potential homes, another thing is I do not want to do anything that anyone else is doing right now. So if that means sacrificing myself or a financial aspect, so be it, but whatever I do, even if you think it's expected after it's done, what's coming next is not going to be expected. So let's look at that. The lay of the land is pretty torn apart by COVID. We're still having shows without people and buildings, which that's a nightmare right now. It's so sad, but yeah, there's plenty of options. Again, we kind of want to see the world settle down before you make long-term decision or you what flag you want to fly. At the same time, I'm only going to fight for myself at this point, and if that means... I don't know what that means. I know what it means to me. I'm going to fight for myself, but does that mean does this company not want to use me because I had this desire? Then that might be the case too. So we'll see.
Mike Johnson: What was your reaction when Impact played your music following one of Moose's matches a few weeks ago on TV?
EC3: Yeah, that's probably the best part of a Moose match, right?
Mike Johnson: Wow.
EC3: Good one. No, yeah. Well, I watch everything via DVRs. I don't watch anything live, because why waste time with commercials? But yeah, the social media was good. It was about my music playing after a Moose match. Yeah, it didn't... Yeah, all right. Cool. Whatever. It's a good song, I guess. It's my past. I don't really care to explore my past ever again, but at the same time, when Moose started trying to do a little EC3 video on his Twitter, and I don't know, the thing about him is he... Hell of a talent, but he's never been himself. I know him as a person, and then I see the guy that's on TV, and they're not the same. He plays wrestler. But there was a moment when he was talking about whatever the hell is going to happen in Impact, and he started talking about me. That was the first time I took notice that he was actually speaking from his heart. He went up a level, if that makes sense. Like, "All right, you're playing wrestler before, but you actually mean what you're saying now," and that did catch my interest more so than the music playing.
Mike Johnson: Would you see Impact as a step backwards, given that you want to break from your past, or since there's a new creative team and new management team, it's fair game, in terms of a potential future?
EC3: I would say fair game on that aspect, because they do have, from the product I've seen, it seems creatively they've been very original and unique, which I do appreciate. In theory, this is a step backwards because I already did it. I see it as a new challenge, but I can understand that perception. At the same time, there's so much out there. It's hard to narrow-mindedly pick something. I have very bold and ambitious plans that will be unlike hopefully anything anyone's ever done. So I would not say a step backwards, because any opportunity is an opportunity to create something that will last. But I get... The only thing that kind of makes me hesitant is based on the fact that, "Oh, everyone thinks you're going to go there." Why? What do you people think I'm going to do? It's an easy thing, and I never do the easy thing, honestly.
Mike Johnson: Let me ask this. If WWE comes back and says, "Hey, things are better. We're bringing some people back into the fold. We'd like you to rejoin the family," the easy thing is to just go and take the money. You talked about wanting to do what's not easy. In your mind, is the long-term goal here to get back to WWE and finally show them the shining star that they could have had headline at WrestleMania but they didn't? Or do you see WWE as, "All right, we've tried that twice. We need to close the door like a toxic relationship with a bad ex-girlfriend. We got to leave that in the rear-view mirror?" I know it's wrestling and you never say never, but as of today, what's your thoughts on that?
EC3: WWE is a lot like my ex, great comparison. I would value obviously any opportunity to perform, especially there is, in my mind estimation, so much I could have wanted to do, but I will not, at this point, when I talk about finding happiness for myself within wrestling will ever find it, I think I can find it, whether it includes them or not. Before, I didn't think it was possible. Now, having been there, I get it. I can be happy without that notch on my bedpost, so to speak.
Mike Johnson: So we mentioned Impact. We mentioned WWE. The other major companies that are still creating content right now are Ring of Honor, who are basically creating character-based things while not producing entering talent, and obviously All Elite Wrestling, which is on TNT every Wednesday. How do you foresee either of those as potential landing grounds for EC3?
EC3: Oh, I think I covered them in some pretty creative-ass promos, but there is no honor in what we do, but what I've always enjoyed about Ring of Honor was their focus on the aspects of competition. So they're doing interesting things with television. I think what's good for them is that because they haven't been creating the content in the ring that, when the time is right, it could blow up something new and completely different. So it's definitely an intriguing option, and the same with All Elite is that Wednesday nights on cable TV, it's another thing that just seems too simple right now. But I appreciate the product. Lots of people there I am good friends with, and they always bring it. Man, this is a therapy session for thousands of listeners.
Mike Johnson: Well, we've got two other potential homes for you that I'll bring up, and then we'll let it be. But you talked about not doing the easiest things. Probably the hardest thing would be to go to New Japan Pro-Wrestling and try to completely recreate yourself there and maybe go there full-time, because with travel restrictions, it would not be easy to go back and forth, and MLW has pretty much said they're not looking to run any time until it's safe, and they're willing to sit out at least 18 months. So if they're going to continue storylines for the next several months, perhaps a year, who knows how long, without actual live events, what could be harder than being put into a scenario like that where you're forced to create and further your character and further your development without actual live, in-ring wrestling in front of fans? So could either of those be the road less traveled for you?
EC3: They are not out of the realm of possibility. I think with what I'm doing now is that we're coming up on 90 days of me spouting my yapper, talking junk, saying I need to fight, need to free myself, fight for this, fight for that, fight for you individual self. I may even do something that involves national fighting, which I don't know, hypothetically I'll do July 18th, 2020. But to then full-time commit to something that is unsure, I don't know. New Japan, I think with what I've created and who I'm going to become and who I am, I think it is quite a form for reinvention. It intrigues me greatly, and it's not easy, man, especially in this dome.
Mike Johnson: No, it's not easy to try and take the unknown and take a concept, and then make an actual manifestation out of it. That's the one thing I think some overlook about pro wrestling. They go, "Ah, it's just moves," but you have to create. There has to be some sort of moment where you feel this will be best for the audience, and then you set out to create it and paint artwork with your body. Before you can even do the physical manifestation of that, there has to be a mental artwork between yourself and those you're working with. That's not always the easy thing either. So the role of creation in pro wrestling, I think even though everyone talks creative teams and things like that, I think it often gets overlooked when you're looking at the actual act of what's going on in front of the camera.
EC3: See? This is why you're my top three. That's great. Yeah, creating... Ah, man, the monster of the "narrative" I wrote that I'd some day love fans to recite, is what are your goals and purposes? One of them is vividly it's create something that will last. That's what I'm going to set out to do for the best, but seeing there's such a satisfaction that I can't explain when you create something and it plays out, and it happened, and then you just have to soak it in. That's happiness, to be honest. Is there one moment I can think of that would be like, "That's happiness," and call it a night? I don't know, but ah man, I'm getting goosebumps thinking about that.
Interview concludes on Page 6!
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