EC3 (real name Michael Hutter) was one of the many wrestlers WWE released from their contracts on Wednesday as part of a cost-cutting measure. The man formerly known as Ethan Carter III returned to WWE in 2018 with a massive wave of moment coming from his outstanding heel run in Impact Wrestling, and he showed off a lot of that promise during a brief run in NXT. Unfortunately his time on the Black & Gold Brand didn’t last long, and once he was on the main roster WWE’s creative team didn’t quite know what to do with him besides, inexplicably, make him a mute.
He spent a good chunk of 2019 chasing around after the 24/7 Championship, which he won four times, but he was pulled from action in late September due to what was later reported to be a concussion.
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On Wednesday Carter took to Twitter after his release announcement with a video that seemingly teased some sort of new persona.
ec3 character synopsis
— essential character III (@therealec3) April 15, 2020
Created by a perfect storm of frustration, angst, restraint, solitude and the sense of losing everything, the character of ec3 forced himself to consider the inconceivable.
That he was defeated. pic.twitter.com/63vA5avDgg
“Find your purpose. I have. And now I am everything you are not. You have been warned,” he said looking directly into the camera while showing off a new haircut.
“Some in the WWE Universe (the wrestling world) would find empathy for ec3. Knowing how it feels to be ‘unwanted’ or ‘cast aside’ the audience would find ec3’s opposition to the modern product and the corporate culture alluring,” he continued in a series of tweets. “Other’s in the WWE Universe (wrestling world) would find ec3’s behavior hypocritical. The negativity ec3 preaches becomes incessant lecturing, and the means of his behavior destructive, borderline obnoxious, and slightly insane. Regardless of perception, after a real and tangible story of loss, regret, and sacrifice ec3 embraces and important question — ‘Would you rather be the Universe’s enemy or nothing at all?’”
Other wrestlers who were released on Wednesday included Rusev, Drake Maverick, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson, Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins, Lio Rush, Heath Slater, Eric Young, Sarah Logan, Primo & Epico and Mike & Maria Kanellis.
