Preston City Wrestling Owner Slams TNA For Pulling EC3 From April Event

UPDATE: PWInsider has contacted sources within TNA and has updates on why EC3 was pulled from the PCW event. It was a company request that led to EC3 backing out because TNA felt that another commitment was more important. It’s sending several members of its roster to the event. James Storm also had to cancel a booking for the same reason.

EC3 is allowed to take outside bookings but his “contractual primary commitment” has to be to TNA. The company gets the “right of first refusal”, which means if they need him, they get priority. EC3 didn’t have a choice in the matter. When he contacted the promoters he had dates for in Europe, Southside Wrestling and Preston City, that led to them reaching out to TNA. TNA believes that there is nothing they can do, because the bookings were not made through their office. TNA also stated that no plane ticket was purchased for EC3 and he had not been given a deposit from Preston City Wrestling.

If the bookings were made through TNA as a third party booking, they would have handled it different. James Storm’s booking, for example, was made through the TNA office, so they worked to settle things with the promoter. EC3 has personally promised each promoter that he will make it up to them in the future.

Original: Preston City Wrestling (PCW) issued the following press release and statement today from owner Steven Fludder, claiming that TNA withdrew EC3 from a scheduled appearance for a PCW event on April 3. You can read Fludder’s full statement below:

Preston City Wrestling announced the following this morning:

It saddens me to announce that TNA have issued the withdrawal of EC3/Ethan Carter from our April 3rdPCW show. The other international talent booked being Ken Anderson, Jade, Eddie Kingston, Cedric Alexander are all still confirmed to appear.

Wrestle Mania weekend is the hardest time of the year to secure a replacement talent but I have worked hard to secure somebody and subject to him finding his passport we may have another guest from the USA.

I did reach out to TNA management but was told ”Unfortunately nothing can be done. This is a network commitment and something he had no control over”.

Considering TNA was publicly vocal about not being happy when AJ Styles pulled out of an agreed deal with them, it does seem double standards to me that the company would ask talent to back out of a deal that has been in place for many weeks. I have lost out financially having paid for an extensive promotional campaign with EC3 clearly front and centre promoting his appearance but most of all I feel for fans who have used their hard earned money and booked travel to see/meet EC3. We have gone above and beyond to try source a replacement in tough times for those fans but it is a shame that when asked for assistance TNA told us ”nothing can be done”.

I will in future be thinking twice about using TNA talent to avoid repeat scenarios as even WWE respect that when a date is agreed it is agreed and do not try to pull talent from it. I try give my fans more than value for money and will continue to do so but even though I do take full responsibility for the change in the line up, you know I will always be honest with you all.

The show will still be amazing and tickets are available from www.prestoncitywrestling.com.