Is Ethan Carter III headed for WWE?

It looks like Ethan Carter III is done with Impact Wrestling, so it’s time for the latest round of speculation as to the next step in his career.

The Impact Wrestling roster has been steadily deteriorating as the company’s fortunes continue to wane, so there aren’t many names left that would make pro wrestling fans perk up if it seemed one of them was going to jump to WWE. Ethan Carter III, a.k.a. EC3, is one of the few remaining exceptions.

Now he might have the opportunity to make the move. As reported by Still Real to Us, the Impact Wrestling taping tonight gave every appearance that EC3 is done with the company. At the end of a Feast or Fired Match, Carter ended up with the briefcase that said that he was, in fact, fired.

It could be an angle, of course, but Impact has used a similar gimmick to say goodbye to wrestlers in the past. And people on hand at the taping said EC3 looked like a man who was out the door.

The 34-year-old Carter (real name: Michael Hunter Hutter) had been with Impact Wrestling/TNA since 2013. Prior to that, he had a stint with the WWE in both Florida Championship Wrestling and NXT, when he was known as Derrick Bateman.

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But he’s elevated his game during his latest Impact run, and even in a company whose best days are behind it, becoming a main event-caliber talent means something. With NXT performers continually getting called up to the main roster, it wouldn’t be surprising to see WWE take another shot on Carter to bolster its developmental brand.