Eric Young talks returning to Impact Wrestling

[Chris]

Eric Young explained his decision to leave WWE in a newly released interview.

Young re-signed with the company in November 2022 during Vince McMahon's brief "retirement." However, McMahon returned as the executive chairman in January and Young recently alluded to PWInsider that this led to him asking for his release.

Young said:

I signed up for one thing and it turned into something completely different, and personally, professionally, and more importantly for me, morally, I just couldn’t work there anymore. If you’re a wrestling fan, you know what’s going on, and I know that you’re a smart guy, Mike (Johnson), and you’re well aware of what I’m saying and what’s going on.
It was not a super difficult choice for me to be honest. I know it was a dream come true, going back, for sure. The contract was fantastic and all this other stuff and what I was poised to do on the TV show was excellent, but in the end, I would’ve had to answer to somebody that I’m just not willing to. That’s where we ended up now. Like I said earlier, I’m a believer in fate and everything happens for a reason, and I’m not mad about it. I’m not bitter about it, just like I wasn’t last time. Obviously, it’s a massive mistake on one person’s part, but a huge gain for wrestling.

According to a report from Fightful Select, Young was to be part of a new version of The Wyatt Family that would debut following WrestleMania 39. He would join Wyatt, Bo Dallas, and Alexa Bliss, who were also to be part of the act. Wyatt has been sidelined with an undisclosed illness since January, however.

Young requested and was granted his WWE release in April. He then returned to Impact Wrestling at Slammiversary following the expiration of his 90-day no-compete clause.

"WWE sources confirmed to Fightful that Young had cited moral, creative, and personal reasons as why he didn’t want to work with Vince McMahon," Fightful reported.

Young continued to praise Impact Wrestling during the interview, calling it a "special place to work."

I think IMPACT Wrestling (is) for people that love pro wrestling… it’s a very special place to work. You could ask almost anybody that’s on the roster and they’re gonna tell you the same thing to varying degrees. But, to me it’s the best minute-for-minute pro wrestling show in the world. That’s biased because I work there, but, I would’ve told you that at any point because it’s written for pro wrestling fans by pro wrestlers, so it’s minute-for-minute, the best one. I’m proud to be part of it, but (do I have) regrets? No, but I didn’t want to leave. That’s the truth. It was what it was business-wise. It totally made sense to me. I can’t do this forever and, uh, I’m hoping to not work when I’m 55.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/impact-wrestling/eric-young-i-couldnt-work-for-wwe-anymore-personally-professionally-or-morally

 

[Leon TrotSky]

Good on him for having principles

 

[Chris]

Back in December 2022, it was first reported that former two-time Impact World Champion Eric Young would be headed back to WWE, but no additional details were known at the time.

Young's departure became evident after he was killed in storyline by Deaner, his Violent by Design stablemate.

Months went by and Young was never seen on WWE television and it was recently reported by Fightful that Young had asked for his release only a few months after signing. They later reported that WWE sources confirmed Young "cited moral, creative and personal reasons as why he didn't want to work with Vince McMahon."

By this past April, his release had been granted and his 90-day non-compete clause was up just in time for him to make his surprise return at Impact Slammiversary as the mystery partner of Scott D'Amore.

I recently caught up with Young to set the record straight and learn more about what's ahead. The entire interview is available above for free on YouTube.

Why did he leave WWE?

"I can say that I signed up for one thing and then was presented with a completely different thing and personally, professionally and for me, more importantly morally, I can't take instruction and work for a person like that," he said with "a person" assumed to be McMahon.

He explained that he didn't want to leave Impact in the first place, but "business is business" and he couldn't decline the opportunity being offered to him by WWE.

"If you would have said that nine months ago, six months ago, I probably would have said 'No, I wouldn't be back in Impact.' But fate's got a funny way of doing things. And like I said, I didn't really want to leave in the first place, but business is business. An opportunity had presented itself that I just couldn't say no to," he said.

"I made the move and I don't regret it at all. Nine months vacation, there's worse things that could happen to a person for sure," he said.

Young also explained that he considered himself "lucky" to be in a position where he could ask for, and be granted, his release. It was a decision he knew came with risks.

"I know that there are tons of people that won't have that ability and can't make that choice, but I could. And for me, it was undoubtedly, unequivocally and unabashedly the right choice for me. And it's not going to be the same for everybody, but for me, it's the right choice.

"I walked away from a massive opportunity & life-changing money and I don't regret it. I didn't regret it then and I certainly don't regret it now. And I know in ten years I certainly won't regret it. And I'll know it was the exact right decision. And I'm glad that I have the ability to make it," he said.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/eric-young-doesnt-regret-turning-down-life-changing-money-from-wwe