I had the honor and pleasure of speaking with TNA Superstar and self-proclaimed “Hardcore American Icon” Ethan Carter III, who took all of your questions and conducted one of the greatest Q&A sessions in professional wrestling history.

You can catch EC3 and all the stars of TNA on Impact Wrestling, this Friday at 9PM ET on Destination America.

Alright EC3, our readers want to know – what have you been doing on your days off?

The campaign has been announced – #ec3forCHAMP – so I don’t have days off. My days are spent on the road, mustering support for what will probably be the greatest campaign in the history of professional wrestling.

Tell the unaware fans about your nickname, the Hardcore American Icon.

“‘Hardcore American Icon’ is something I developed from defeating an icon in Sting. Then I defeated Kurt Angle, therefor making me an American hero, then I followed that up with defeating Bully Ray. Hardcore American Icon. You look at the body of work those three individuals have in the realm of professional wrestling legends, Hardcore American Icon fits.”

Are you looking to incorporate Rockstar Spud into the gimmick as well?

“As far as Rockstar Spud… I guess he’s a good hand. He’s OK. He hasn’t lived up to the necessity to steal his moniker, like a Native American warrior would steal the power of his opponent.”

What about Mr. Anderson?

“Mr. Anderson interrupted my – I don’t want to call it the greatest professional wrestling promo of all time; I could be wrong, but I’m not. He interrupted my campaign speech, and I feel this will result in some sort of fisticuffs. So if I defeat – sorry, WHEN I defeat Mr. Anderson, is it the ‘Hardcore American Icon Hailing from Green Bay, Wisconsin’ or is it the ‘Hardcore American Icon… Icon.’

We decided that “Mr. Hardcore American Icon” is ultimately the best decision.

So what does it take, mentally and physically, to be a Hardcore American Icon?

“From a physical aspect you have to have your body for any kind of encounter. If you’re facing the icon Sting, you need to be prepared for signature maneuvers – the Scorpion Death Drop, or the Scorpion Death Lock. If you’re facing Kurt Angle, you’re gonna need to be at your best on the ground. Ankle locks? Nope, I had a knee bar – see ya! If you’re going into the ring against Bully Ray, you’re going to be able to need to brawl your best, and withstand onslaughts from foreign objects, whether it be a table, or a chair.

“As far as mentally… You can’t teach mental prowess. You either have it or you don’t, and I have it. I’m smart. It’s cool.”

If elected as Champion of the World, will you have a Vice Champion?

“I see this being a solo campaign. As perfect as Tyrus is, he’s perfect as a Secretary of Defense. It’s going to be a straight-up dictatorship. This is the Roman Empire all over again. Move over Ceasar, EC3 is here.”

What is your favorite sandwich?

“A Baconator from Wendy’s with no bun, and no cheese.”

If you could take anyone to TNA with you when you left WWE…

“If I could have taken anyone with me I would have taken nobody. The spotlight is on me. But… looking back on it, if I could take one person it would have been Percy Watson. He was a million dollar man that they did absolutely nothing with.”

Do you see any personal failure in your time with WWE, or was it 100% on them for not recognizing your talent? If the former, what is the biggest lesson you learned that you applied to your career in TNA?

“If you pass the blame you’re not accountable for anything you ever do in your life, so I would never pass the blame completely. Not one bit. Granted, I would have done anything for the company. I went through hell on earth – a few injuries, through developmental – to be a success for them. Maybe I wasn’t the guy they needed at the moment. Wrong place, right time? Right place, wrong time? Wrong place, wrong time? It doesn’t matter, because now I’m in the right place at the right time, and all the lessons I’ve learned through [WWE] I’ve applied [in TNA]. All I really needed was the one opportunity that I didn’t get over there.”

Who is your favorite wrestler?

“Glacier…?”

How do you prepare for a match?

“About 5-10 minutes jumping rope, 15 minutes on that foam roller, about 20-25 minutes with my personal masseuse Helga, about 5-10 minutes retouching my hair, then 5 minutes of squirting grease on me, by many hands.”

Follow up: how many hands do you have rubbing grease on you?

“2 to 4. One time I only had 3, and that was a weird situation. The girl only had one arm, but she was cute so it was fine.”

What advice would you have given Mitt Romney in 2012 to connect with the people as well as you have?

“There’s no secret about EC3’s financial means and success. The great name, my inheritance, my trust fund – yeah, I have it all. But what’s great about EC3 is he doesn’t rub it in people’s faces. He doesn’t walk around telling people how rich and entitled he is. He works like an every-man. Teddy Roosevelt came from a very powerful family, but he worked as an every-man. He served, he did his due diligence and built himself out of nothing. So for Mitt Romney – don’t rub that money in people’s faces, or you’re not gonna get elected.”

Do you want to be the John Cena of TNA?

“Would I like to be the franchise of TNA? Absolutely. That’s exactly my goal, and that’s his position in WWE. Would I want to be the next him? Not so much, because I want to make my own identity. But if it results in millions of dollars in t-shirt sales and a 12-year career of beating everybody? You’re damn right I want to be that.”

How do you make TNA more visbile to those who don’t watch their product?

“That’s an excellent question. I think a lot of the talent can find ways to bring the brand out. In time, when I’m not wrestling, pursuing something in other realms of entertainment that give us mainstream attention. I would never succumb myself to the lowly standards of Robbie E, going on a reality show, because that’s garbage. But I could see myself – maybe if Marvel is going to make another TV show like Daredevil, maybe of Wonder Man, and they need a lead, I don’t think anyone can play that character but me. I mean, if they need me in Avengers 3 and 4 I could do it, we’ll just have to clear it with the offices.”

Dear @Marvel… pic.twitter.com/6Yx6HZc08u

— Mike Killam (@MikeKillam) April 29, 2015

Thanks so much to TNA Wrestling and Ethan Carter III for his time. And make sure to check out our exclusive game of FAST COUNT when it comes out later this evening, where we list off a dozen or so names and topics, and EC3 offers the first thoughts that come to mind.

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Following our exclusive interview with TNA Superstar Ethan Carter III, the self-proclaimed “Hardcore American Icon” and 2015 candidate for Champion of the World played the FAST COUNT. I ran down a list of names and items, and EC3 offered his immediate reactions.

Sting: I beat him.

Daniel Bryan: SUBMISSION WRESTLING expert. Chicks + America 4 Life.

Samoa Joe: Submission machine I wish I had time to lock horns with.

Zumba: A Latin dance class that I’ve only done once in my life, despite what my Wikipedia page says.

Team 3D: A wonderful academy in Kissimmee, FL to learn the art of professional wrestling. Team 3D Academy (.com). Two Hall of Famers – one I beat in singles competition at Slammiversary, one I beat via default. Either way, I won.

Jeff Hardy: The charismatic enigma. Our top attraction. The fact that he beat me up in a shed with an umbrella still upsets me to this day.

Kevin Owens/Steen: I never got to work with him, but he’s doing a tremendous job. All success to him.

Rockstar Spud: Dog sh*t. Don’t say that. PG that up, and then say “a hell of a talent”.

Kurt Angle: Olympic gold medalist, multi-time world champion, and the last defense of the old guard against #EC3forCHAMP.

DB DD with the BT’s: We never found out who the wildebeest was, and I assure you, we never will. How many times do you go on a date with two hot twins, and pay in change? Never. Unless you’re me.

Ethan Carter III: A transcendent performer, ushering in a new era in the professional wrestling industry.

Derick Bateman: My dead cousin who died horrifically in a fireworks factory explosion.