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EC3 has explained how he changed as a person after suffering a series of concussions in WWE.
The 39-year-old sustained a severe concussion three minutes into his 15-minute match against Velveteen Dream at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 in August 2018. He returned to the ring a month later before being ruled out of action again due to another concussion-related issue.
On Sportskeeda’s “The Wrestling Outlaws” show, EC3 gave an insight into how he felt after the match against Velveteen Dream:
“It’s not something I go around complaining about, ‘This happened to me.’ The match was okay, we could have done way better, but at the same time I’m a professional who was knocked unconscious for the entirety of it. Look at my face after that match. Watch that match and look at my face. The worst concussion I’ve ever had.” [8:05-8:23]
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The four-time 24/7 Champion added that the concussions caused him to have a “really bad life” at one stage:
“Come back from that, three to four weeks later, I get concussed again,” EC3 continued. “I’m out for a while. I have [a] really bad life, I’m talking really bad, like what changed my life was that secondary concussion, and that was on the call-up to the main roster. I got concussed again four weeks later, then I get called up with the concussion.” [8:24-8:51]
Watch the video above to hear details about the time Velveteen Dream allegedly attempted to film WWE Superstars’ penises without consent at a house party.
Why EC3's main roster call-up surprised him
WWE began advertising the main roster debuts of several NXT Superstars in December 2018, including EC3. The former IMPACT star was not medically cleared at the time, so his first RAW in-ring appearance had to be delayed.
He initially worked with Jon Moxley, then known as Dean Ambrose, on the main roster. However, yet another concussion soon forced him to take a break from in-ring competition.
“Why are you calling me up with a concussion? You know I’m injured, right?” EC3 recalled asking at the time. “‘Yeah, you’ll be fine by the time you debut.’ I don’t feel prepared because I’m concussed, and then get concussed again on the main roster... Who cares, let’s spill the beans. Get concussed again on the main roster after the worst one of all time. That’s what changed my life, that’s what made me the darkest, deepest…” [8:52-9:16]
The former NXT and RAW Superstar received his release in April 2020 as a cost-cutting measure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He co-founded the Control Your Narrative (CYN) wrestling promotion after leaving WWE.
What are your memories of EC3 in WWE? Let us know in the comments section.
Please credit Sportskeeda’s “The Wrestling Outlaws” and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.
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