EC3 On Filming Main Roster Debut Vignette In His Apartment, Interactions With Vince McMahon, Being Told Not to Speak

EC3 discussed his WWE main roster debut, his interactions with Vince McMahon and more in a new interview on Talk is Jericho. After returning to WWE, EC3 was among the call-ups first announced in December of 2018. You can see his vignette as part of the montage of debut announcements below.

Recalling the situation, EC3 recalled that he was told when he was coming up not to speak and that the vignette was filmed by his roommate in his apartment. He also discussed his interactions with McMahon and how they were always positive, though McMahon said that he thought EC3 was over the top and wanted him to speak “like a weatherman.” Highlights and the full audio are below:

On his call up to the main roster: “It never felt right, when I had the call-up. Because when that’s something you chase your whole life, and dream that like, you’re waiting for the call. And you get many calls. You get calls to get signed, you get calls to get used. But like the call up, you think there’s a purpose, this is it. And when it happened — first off, I was on injury reserve with a concussion when I got called up to the main roster. And that was right before — it was mid-December, I think of whatever year it was before the Rumble. So that was odd to me, but you know what? There’s a reason, there’s a purpose. Let’s go.”

On not doing promos when he hit the main roster: “None, zero. I was actually ordered not to speak. Because I think it was a rush call up of a bunch of people, because they were feeling heat from you know, numbers were lower, fans were complaining. And it was just one of those, ‘We’re doing something!” reset.”

On his debut vignette being filmed by himself: “So the call up happened, which was interesting enough. You know, you you wait for the call up your whole life, and the most exciting part’s your vignette, right? Like, what’s going to bring you in, what’s cool, what’s going to build you in? They kind of haphazardly threw all these vignettes together. And my literal vignette to get called up to the biggest entertainment company, wrestling, in the world was filmed by my roommate in my apartment in Orlando. A nice apartment, don’t get me wrong. It’s a highrise condo, it’s pretty cool. Call it ‘F-Town.’ But in hindsight it’s like, ‘This is it?’ And it was a very bizarre — like I walk in. Not in a suit, but looking nice. So they’re taking away the suit aspect in this top 1% persona … So yeah, we film the vignette in my apartment, and it airs for like six weeks. But we never hear anything about anything. Royal Rumble comes, I was like, ‘Well, maybe I’ll be number three, get a good pop and we’re off to a good start.’ Nope. Then I think it was the week after, I’m working with Moxley.”

On his interactions with Vince McMahon: “When I had interactions with Vince, yeah I did the four-hour waits in the hallways. Yeah, I did that. I’ve had a couple of conversations with him. They were all very positive. He really said everything people say , like, ‘You look great, I know you can talk. You have a ton of charisma. You are a good worker but you’re not super flashy and that’s okay. Because some of my top draws were never flashy guys.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, cool. Can I talk?’ [He said] ‘Well I think you are a little over the top.’ [I said], ‘How many promos have you seen of me?’ One? I think they saw one, and it was shot in my pool in a condo and it was — I dunno, fairly over the top. Regardless, it was — you’re basing this on one promo, if I can speak. [He said], ‘Well I want you to speak like a weatherman.’ I can do that, it’s not gonna be — Just very monotone, one dimensional.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Talk Is Jericho with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.