The latest guest on the Wrestling Perspective podcast was top industry star EC3, who spoke on a number of different subjects, most notably his thoughts on current AEW world champion MJF, and how he believes the Salt Of The Earth has finally become the total package. Highlights from the interview can be found below.
How people would compare him to Ted DiBiase or other rich guy gimmicks:
What I feel bad about is when I was coming up as EC3, you know, the low brained ignorance of people, saying you’re just copying (Ted) DiBiase, and then you’re just copying Alberto del Rio. I’m like, there are only so many times you can do a rich guy (gimmick), we’re all rich. I’m way different than the Million Dollar Man. I’m way different than getting past that criticism. It wasn’t hard, but I could see it affecting people.
Says MJF is nothing like him, later adding that MJF is doing great work:
When he came up, they would say you’re just a bootleg EC3, he’s not, he never was. He was his own man and he was his own talent, and he’s very, very exceptional at it. What I do enjoy is the commitment to kayfabe per se. He lives like a real dick, he probably is a real dick. If you went to an EC3 seminar, you’re probably a total dick bag. It’s very, very difficult when the fans want to cheer you, and they are cheering you, and you can get them to turn back on you. I saw him do that a couple of times, where I’m like that’s impressive, because it’s very easy to fall into the “well the fans are reacting this way, we should just roll with it.” I like the commitment to being an antagonist. I commend a lot. I think he’s doing some great work.
Why he thinks MJF’s feud with CM Punk helped bring out a different side to MJF:
My one fear for him and it’s not really a fear. I just didn’t know who could elevate him, because before he became champion, he was kind of always in the same boat. I think he needed somebody to bring something out of him that was different before he could become the top guy and maybe I missed because I don’t watch a ton of him. Maybe it was (CM) Punk. You’re absolutely right, I did not know that. Punk is somebody that’s been everywhere and at the top levels of WWE, and like the intricacies and depth of storytelling that people are obsessed with, like MJF, Punk, and myself, are to bring that out of him. Bring him to the next level. I’m glad that happened, because I thought that was the one missing piece. So now this is just one more guy left that can really fuck him up.
(H/T and transcribed by Fightful)