ROH star EC3 spoke with Chris Van Vliet about the importance of mental health in wrestling, where he feels that WWE dropped the ball with him, Braun Strowman’s (Adam Scherr) match against him in “Free The Narrative 2” and much more!
Here are some of the highlight.
On Braun Strowman/Adam Scherr:
“When you think of a guy like that, he was signed and put in the system. So he knows nothing but the system he is accustomed to, until he shows up to this dimly lit bar in downtown Orlando. Adam seeing that we had no catering, no locker room, he knows it going into it. But seeing him experience something different, it opens his eyes to see what else is out there and how does this work? What’s fortunate for him is that he had a great run and he is a great talent. He can pick anywhere to go and get a great reaction. But after a month, fans can go, ok, well what’s next? But his ability to re-create what he wants to be within the narrative, this is what he can bring to the table. As far as wrestling goes and where he goes, who’s to say?”
Wrestling and mental health:
“I think the Tag Me In movement is doing a great job. Mental health issues are a plague on our society, not just the wrestling industry. Everyone goes through it and it’s OK to talk about it. Being able to discuss things and having someone who is there to listen, that’s really all we truly need in the most part.”
On his new character:
“I pitched the whole character that this started as. I pitched it verbally, written, and then I filmed the promo that I released on the day I was fired, because I sent it to them on the day I was fired. So I was like I cut this great promo and I cut my hair. No matter what happened, I didn’t want people to think that I didn’t try. There was a time and I didn’t care and I wasn’t trying, but that’s not me. I’d rather go down swinging than be shot. But yes, that was pitched along with an underground fight club essence to it. Then I’m released and 90 days later I have my match, which took place in a dimly lit underground looking garage. Obviously it is Fight Club inspired. But then a week later they start Raw Underground, so I guess they found my pitch in the trash.”
Where he feels WWE dropped the ball with him:
“I think just the first segment where I come out and didn’t speak. I just let [Dean] Ambrose jab me a bit, it’s fun and whatever. He shouldn’t have been a babyface, but he had that great run with the company and now he is leaving, so people are cheering for him. I think the debut had no purpose. They called up a bunch of people in a rash decision, and I think they could have lived or died on their own, they didn’t need a bunch. But it doesn’t matter, there’s no point to any of it. On my end, dropping the ball was not doing anything to make them give it to me. I tried a few things, one thing I promised myself when I got there was I will never be that guy who is miserable and it doesn’t matter. And I became it, and that’s on me. But maybe it happened for a reason.”
