EC3 Discusses Importance of Upcoming NWA Opponent (Exclusive)

Since exiting WWE in 2020, EC3 has been bent on reinvention. Upon hitting the independent circuit once again, EC3 shed the loud persona that made him famous in TNA and NXT in favor of a darker, quieter, and more calculated character. Sporting a tight haircut and goatee, this new EC3 began pushing "control your narrative," a mindset that quickly evolved into a movement. EC3 began producing Free The Narrative pay-per-view specials that featured somewhat directionless talent in cinematic-style matches with one goal in mind: tell your story.

While EC3's next opponent won't be under the Free The Narrative banner nor contested in cinematic style, he checks all other boxes. Former WWE superstar Kevin Kiley (Alex Riley) is set to wrestle his first singles match in almost seven years when he faces EC3 at NWA Nuff Said on February 11th.

"The reintroduction of himself into this world is going to depend on him," EC3 told ComicBook.com's Liam Crowley. "Coming through the [WWE developmental] system, he was a top prospect. Elite, college-level athlete. Looks great. He was one of the most well-spoken people. Coming from that background into professional wrestling though, it leaves a lot that you don't quite understand if you weren't ingrained into the professional wrestling culture. So mentally, he'd become his own worst enemy: second guessing things and thinking twice as opposed to trusting his instincts."

Kiley spent a decade in WWE and its various developmental territories. He found success in an on-screen partnership with The Miz, which ultimately led to him getting a singles victory over the former WWE WrestleMania main-eventer. Ill-timed injuries slowed Kiley's progress, as he spent most of his final years in WWE at the announce table.

"He had all the potential in the world. He still does," EC3 continued. "You see when he was paired with Miz. He has comparisons of a John Cena. He should be a hybrid of those two people and still going at a high level today, but the system got him. It gets a lot of people. It's how you handle being gotten by the system and coming out of it, that's the story."

The next chapter of that story gets written at NWA Nuff Said, and EC3 hopes fans get to read the entire book.

"His story, it took him down a dark path where he was away from wrestling. I don't know how much he will share. I think he should share it all," EC3 said. "His journey back to just saying that, 'You know what? I have unfinished business and I want to try that out.' So that's kind of why I opened the door for this match and this idea. But at the same time, I collect scalps and I ruin dreams and I like to win, so we'll see if you can still hang."

And winning has been apparent for EC3 his entire career. The man once known as Ethan Carter III collected victory after victory in Impact Wrestling, famously holding an undefeated streak that lasted for multiple years. Since joining NWA, EC3 has dominated in singles competition, his only blemishes coming in a couple of no contests.

While this run has proved successful so far, EC3 is holding off on calling NWA his "home" until he reaches the promotion's pinnacle.

"I would declare it my home when I'm holding the Worlds Championship. Then maybe it'll be my home," EC3 said. "The one caveat of NWA that, at AEW and WWE and Impact and the fake Ring of Honor, they don't have is the actual Worlds Heavyweight Championship. The legitimate one within professional wrestling lore. Gollum's ring. The actual Worlds Heavyweight Championship. That's something I've always wanted. That's something anybody worth their salt who's grown up a wrestling fan has always wanted. In [WWE Chief Content Officer] Triple H's office, he doesn't have any of the titles he won, the World Heavyweight or Universal. The one title he has hanging in his office is a replica of the NWA Worlds Championship, because that's what it means."

EC3 vs. Kevin Kiley goes down on NWA Nuff Said, streaming on FITE TV on February 11th.