EC3 Says His NWA National Championship Match Is a Stepping Stone Toward the World Title

EC3 is challenging Cyon for the NWA National Championship at NWA 312, and he says it’s merely a “stepping stone” to get to the Worlds Heavyweight Title. The NWA star recently spoke with MuscleManMalcolm for a new interview ahead of tonight’s PPV and spoke about the match and his goals. You can see the highlights below, per Fightful:

Speaking with MuscleManMalcolm, EC3 was asked to describe his mindset around challenging for the NWA National Championship, rather than the world title. He stated that the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship is his main goal, and he views the National Championship as a stepping stone to get there. EC3 also noted that the fact that the first National Champion, Austin Idol, will be at ringside will make his victory even more satisfying.

On his NWA National Championship Match: “I’m not gonna lie to you, I’m not trying to do anything [to] hide my intentions. The World Heavyweight Championship is my complete and utter attention and focus, and goal. It’s the National Title that I feel is a stepping stone to get there. The National Championship does have prestige. The fact that the very first National Champion, Austin Idol, gets to be in the corner of my opponent while I become the National Champion is kind of a sick vindication I have. I like throwing in the face of the old-timers and the nostalgia. I’m so sick of [the way] we can’t stop hearkening about the past, and the past just won’t go away. That’s I think been a crutch of wrestling for the longest time. We can not move forward, we only rely on the past. Every time people clamor, the fans, ‘We want something new, we want something different, we want something unique,’ hey, we’re bringing this guy back, ‘Oh! Dream match.’ People are still talking about Undertaker versus Sting. Dudes, it ain’t happening. Shut up.”

On his goals from there: “So the National Championship, that’s a stepping stone. The Worlds Heavyweight Champion, I have a theory, like I’m creating myself to be in my final form, the image I have, this Overman I’m going to call it, and it needs work still. To perfect who I am, I need to go through these other challenges to get there. Can I challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship? Yeah. Could I win? Probably, I’m pretty awesome. But is it the right place at the right time for me, or do I want that to be a penultimate crowning moment, where I win my very third world heavyweight championship, and then I have a tattoo idea to match it, with a three on it. It’s a weird manifestation I have. We’ll get there, but for now, National Title.”