EC3 (Michael Hutter) recently reflected on his career and shared strong opinions about the current wrestling industry during an interview on the Sportshadow YouTube channel.
Hutter spoke candidly about his difficult run on the main roster in WWE after being called up from NXT in 2018. According to Hutter, he was reluctant about the promotion at the time because he anticipated the creative issues that would follow. “When the call up came, I didn’t want to go because I knew it wasn’t going to be the right call,” Hutter said. “I knew it wasn’t going to be good.”
Once on the main roster, Hutter was placed in a controversial “silent” gimmick where he was not allowed to speak during televised appearances. He described the experience as deeply frustrating both creatively and personally. “It was definitely not creatively fulfilling and it was definitely not something I look back on and enjoy,” Hutter said. “It sucked balls, it was the worst, it killed me inside, I hated every second of it.”
Hutter also pointed to the creative structure during the era of Vince McMahon, noting that decisions at the time ultimately came down to McMahon regardless of what had been established in developmental. “I think whatever Vince at the time said, went,” Hutter explained.
Since being released by WWE in 2020, Hutter has not signed with a major U.S. promotion such as All Elite Wrestling. He suggested that his outspoken personality and commitment to his own philosophy may have limited those opportunities. “I’m also probably blackballed from most of them because people can’t handle my authentic truth,” Hutter claimed.
Hutter also offered criticism of modern wrestling styles, arguing that many performers focus too heavily on athletic maneuvers instead of storytelling and character development. In his view, wrestling works best when fans are emotionally invested in the people involved rather than simply the moves performed in the ring. “I love athleticism,” Hutter said. “But that doesn’t matter if you don’t care who I am and why I’m doing what I do.”
He also dismissed the significance of match ratings, stating that matches should be judged by whether they accomplish their storytelling goals rather than by a numerical score.
Hutter pointed to Bryan Danielson as an example of someone whose success stems not only from technical skill but also from strong character work.
Outside the ring, Hutter continues to focus on developing new talent through Exodus Pro, his independent wrestling promotion and training academy located in Eastlake, Ohio at The Powerhouse gym.
In addition, he revealed that he is currently writing a book centered on discipline, purpose, and the mindset required to achieve excellence in one’s craft. According to Hutter, the project is about 18 months into development and could be released within the next six months.
