NWA World Heavyweight Champion EC3 made an appearance on The Kurt Angle Show to discuss a wide range of topics, including his wrestling career. Here are the highlights:
On whether he thought he would be the NWA World Heavyweight Champion:
“Would I say in 2002, this is not something I know. It’s not something I manifested. It’s not something I, you know, dreamed of, so to speak. Because as we’ll probably get to later, the moment I manifested and dreamed of, I did actually have prior to this. But to think about the NWA and the legacy and where it was in 2002 to where we are now, like, no, this was not on the radar. But as a company, with the growth I think we’re having with, you know, me as me at the helm, we’re I want this company to go where W or William Patrick Corgan wants the company to go. I think it’s not what I imagined or where I would be, but it’s where I need to be.”
On beating Kurt Angle to win the TNA World Heavyweight Title:
“Yeah, I mean, that was the only time we wrestled. So, with everything we said about self-actualization, I might get a little misty on this one because I can’t tell the story without feeling real emotion. So, obviously, it did something for me. But one thing about the rockstar spud. Whoever’s hair matches. He was like he took a bullet for me. To get me to you with the blood and everything and like. I’ll never forget that. See, I’m getting misty talking about that man. He’s still my best bud. So. Yeah, winning that title. Shit, man. You can’t put it in words because what I wrote about is like it was a culmination in a sense. It was a culmination of a storyline, but it was more of a culmination of all the bad shit and like the hard shit and the wrong stuff, the firings and broken relationships, all these things. I had to dedicate myself to it and have it. So, yeah. My father, my mother and my fiance at the time. Obviously, that didn’t work out, but I remember. I hit the roll up when and it’s like in wrestling, sometimes you win. It’s like I’m supposed to win, but then it kind of sinks in and if you watch it back, you can kind of see where it hit me. I’m like, oh shit, this is real. We do the deal. TV goes off and my mom, dad, and girlfriend give him this hug, man. And it’s just like. Everything went away that ever hurt. It was the perfect moment. Dare I say so? It meant a lot. Buddy, thank you for.”
On the responsibility of being the World Champion:
“The burden of responsibility and like Kurt’s kind of he’s winding down. Like, who’s leading this thing now and shit. It’s me. I don’t know if I’m ready for that. And kind of trying to make sure you are. You’re never ready for anything, really. Especially the role of leadership. But. Realizing it and. Having the endorsement of him and others to be able to not have the authority, but at least the respect of your peers to kind of do that. And then you’re the champion. Now the company is depending on you, so then you’re flaking out over the number dipped, or house sucks or these things that they’re not distracting, they’re necessary. But you’re they get in your mind when you’re trying to create and storytell and train and work hard and be the best at everything you can be. So. I don’t want it to be a worthy challenge. Definitely.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Kurt Angle Show with an h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.
