EC3 says Vince McMahon had "no clue" he had worked in WWE before
WWE Chairman Vince McMahon has been characterised as someone who lives in his own bubble. He reportedly doesn't know a lot about wrestlers outside the WWE sphere.
But, McMahon, it seems, doesn't recognise those that have worked with him previously, which EC3 recently revealed. The current IMPACT Wrestling star was one of many Superstars to be released by WWE earlier this year.
While speaking to Wrestle Talk, EC3 revealed that Vince McMahon had "no clue" that he worked in the company previously.
Vince McMahon not knowing that EC3 previously worked with WWE
EC3, who wrestled under the ring name Derrick Bateman in his first run with WWE, said that Vince McMahon was in a meeting where they were watching an IMPACT Wrestling show. The WWE Chairman reportedly said that the company should sign him, not knowing that he was previously a part of WWE.
“I think [Vince McMahon] had no clue. I actually heard one time, there was a meeting and they were watching IMPACT and I came out and I dont even remember who told me, but somebody in creative, and [Vince] was like ‘Who is this guy? We should get him.’. They’re like, “Derrick Bateman.” He’s like, “who?”
EC3 was with WWE between 2009 and 2013, wrestling in Florida Championship Wrestling, the WWE's then developmental territory, followed by a few years in NXT. He was then let go by WWE, following which he made a name for himself in independent wrestling as well as IMPACT Wrestling.
He was a two-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion, and left the company in 2018 to once again rejoin WWE. After under a year with NXT, he was moved to the main roster, debuting in late 2018.
But, he wasn't used very well on WWE television, and was eventually released by WWE in April as part of their budget cuts.
He rejoined IMPACT Wrestling in 2020 and debuted on the Slammiversary show.