EC3 Appears on WWE ‘Monday Night Raw’, But What Happens Next?

EC3 has finally made his main roster debut. The Top One Percent was briefly seen backstage during an interview segment on the January 14 edition of Monday Night Raw. He may not have taken the program by storm and made an immediate impact, but he’s on the red brand nonetheless.

So now that he calls Raw home, just how far will he go? EC3 is only just getting started, which means there’s plenty of time for the company to plot his course and see it through. However that course will take Ethan Carter III straight into the middle of a highly congested, highly talented main roster.

This isn’t to say that he won’t be successful. More top talent equals more top guys to work. That’s a good thing for EC3, just as it’s good for anyone coming up through the ranks of the red brand. But Raw is so incredibly full right now and it does beg the question of whether or not he can make any real headway on Monday nights.

How many times has the company been so thin on main event talent that Superstars are rushed up the ladder before they’re ready? Sometimes, there’s just no other choice. But that’s not the case on Raw.

Watch EC3 make his surprising dark match debut on the Jan 7 Monday Night Raw:

EC3 Was In A Dark Match Last Monday Before WWE RAW

Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, Dean Ambrose, Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley, could each get hot at any time and find themselves on top. Kevin Owens is on his way back from injury. John Cena is still in the mix and it’s hopefully only a matter of time until a healthy Roman Reigns returns to the fold. 

But then there’s Brock Lesnar, who may not be dropping the Universal Championship any time soon. Rollins, Ambrose, Strowman and Owens have already faced him. McIntyre may get there eventually, while Lashley remains a Lesnar dream match opponent. Now Balor is finally on his way back to title contention and will take on Lesnar at The Royal Rumble. 

If EC3 were active right now on a weekly basis, how would he be used on Raw? What would be WWE’s plan for him? Would one of the current top Raw stars need to take a step back in order for Carter to step up?

Perhaps the problem is that for many WWE fans, the only direction is the one that leads to the main event. Anything less than the Universal Championship is a disappointment. But if that is indeed the case, then there is likely nothing but disappointment for anyone watching Raw. That’s because the road that leads to the main event ultimately ends at Lesnar’s door. But that brings up the biggest problem of all. 

Listen to EC3’s thoughts on joining WWE’s main roster!

EC3 on leaving NXT, his future on Raw or SmackDown: WWE Exclusive, Jan. 9, 2019

No one gets over on Brock Lesnar. Roman Reigns is the only man in Lesnar’s career to get an unanswered win over The Beast Incarnate. Every opponent that Brock has ever faced has gone down in the end. So does Balor truly have a chance at The Royal Rumble? Or is he merely a speed bump on Brock’s way to WrestleMania?

Maybe the Universal Championship is EC3’s destination. But that may not be his starting point. So perhaps he will begin where any other debuting Superstar begins. Maybe EC3 will start at the bottom.

Could it be that Carter will have to work his way up the food chain of Monday Night Raw? While that does seem like the most logical move, it’s certainly not one that fans expect. Carter seems ready right now, at least from a physical standpoint. His personality is fully developed, his character is over and he’s proven that he can handle the spotlight. Everything about EC3 screams “top guy.”

But if he’s not meant to come in on the main event level, then perhaps WWE has something else in mind for him. Lashley is the new Intercontinental champion and once he gets in the groove of his new title reign, he will need a competent challenger. Maybe The Top One Percent and The All Mighty will go to war on the red brand.

Check out this highlights clip and watch for EC3’s backstage appearance!

WWE Raw Highlights 14th January 2019 - Monday Night Raw Highlights 01/14/19

Or perhaps WWE will put Carter with a partner and book them for the Raw Tag Team Championships. Would fans consider that to be a step-down for EC3 or would that move even make a difference for him in the long run? After all, Carter can work as a heel or babyface and right now, his role on Raw has not been clearly defined. 

However is Raw truly EC3’s destination? He did appear on Raw but so did nearly every NXT main roster call-up. Is his presence on the red brand merely just being teased and if so, is he actually headed to the blue brand?

SmackDown Live would be an entirely different environment for Carter. Much like Raw, SmackDown is indeed rife with talent. AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, Samoa Joe and Rusev comprise SmackDown’s top level. But reigning over them all is WWE champion Daniel Bryan. The biggest difference between him and Lesnar of course is that Bryan is actually there. He’s accessible. 

SmackDown’s roster is arguably better than Raw because of this. The program is whole because there’s a consistent prize to fight for. SmackDown is also known as “the wrestling show,” which means EC3 would fit right in. But Carter also has a major air of showbiz around him, so he would definitely fit into the mood of Raw as well.

The fact is that EC3 has no issue right now. He’s a blank slate, which means he’s completely open to any and all ideas that the company can throw at him. His first main roster run could very well become the stuff of legend. Or it may become a frustrating journey of near-misses. EC3 is primed and ready. With any luck, WWE is ready for him.

 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes,YouTube, iHeart Radio, boinkstudios.com and live every Friday at 12pm EST on Wrestling Rumors Facebook Live