Ex-WWE Star Eric Young Reflects on Frustrating Call-Up to Main Roster, Interrupts Vince McMahon
In a recent interview, Eric Young, a veteran wrestler and former member of the now-defunct WWE faction Sanity, shared his candid reflections at the disappointing trajectory of his wrestling career after being called up to the primary roster. Sanity, which originally included Young, Alexander Wolfe, Killian Dain, and Nikki Cross, had garnered significant acclaim for the duration of their time in NXT. However, their transition to the main roster in June 2018 proved to be some distance much less successful.
During their debut on SmackDown, Sanity made an immediate impact by using attacking The Usos. However, the organization’s momentum fast faltered whilst Young determined himself in a singles fit towards Jeff Hardy, which resulted in disqualification. Subsequently, Sanity misplaced to Hardy and The Usos in a six-man tag fit. This series of unfortunate events reflected a troubling pattern, as Sanity might best control to steady a single victory at some stage in their entire run on the main roster, which lasted much less than a yr.
In a discussion with Chris Van Vliet, Young opened up about the frustration he felt concerning WWE’s managing of Sanity. Although he kept away from at once naming Vince McMahon, his feedback have been virtually directed at the former WWE Chairman. “I don’t really know what happened. Nobody can tell me,” Young explained. “The person in charge, we all know who that is… just kind of didn’t like it. Although it was his choice to bring us up in the first place.”
Young lamented the lack of consistency in WWE’s decision-making process. “There’s just no rhyme or reason to any of it,” he said, expressing that they were simply “victims of circumstance.” He highlighted the support they received from fans and fellow wrestlers alike, noting, “The unfortunate truth is there’s one person that didn’t get it, and he’s the only person that mattered.”
Despite these setbacks, Young maintained that he did have opportunities to engage directly with McMahon. He recounted an instance where he interrupted a meeting to voice his ideas. “I talked to him like I talked to anybody. I interrupted [him], and I was told to do it by people there,” he recalled. After a positive interaction where McMahon welcomed Young’s input, he pitched several ideas the following week, which McMahon appreciated. “He was very open and very complimentary: ‘Thank you for bringing this in, and thank you for showing initiative,’” Young remembered.
Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse when Damo and Wolfe were sent back to NXT, while Young was shifted to Raw, where his situation only deteriorated. “I mean, I didn’t do anything. I didn’t make him mad. I didn’t have a bad match; there’s nothing I did. He just decided that I was no good at whatever I was that I was doing,” he said. This abrupt change left him bewildered, pondering how McMahon arrived at such a conclusion. Young also mentioned that he is not the first talent to fall victim to McMahon’s unpredictable decisions, referencing the struggles of wrestling superstar Kenny Omega during his brief stint in WWE. “So it’s frustrating more than anything. I’m not mad about it. I moved on, for sure, with my life and very fulfilled, very happy person,” he added. “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. But it’s a very disappointing thing, yeah, very disappointing.”
Young’s journey via wrestling has more often than not been with TNA Wrestling, where he continues to perform. This interview provides any other layer to Young’s ongoing critique of the WWE leadership, a sentiment he has expressed previously due to fundamental disagreements with McMahon’s method. His reflections serve as a testament to the regularly tumultuous and unpredictable nature of professional wrestling, leaving lovers to marvel approximately the future trajectories of such gifted wrestlers.
