Former IMPACT Champion Eric Young’s time with the company is coming to a close. His last appearance on the show’s programming took place on the December 1st episode in a vignette that was taped in secret in Nashville.
In the vignette, which can be viewed below, Young can be seen speaking with Cody Deaner about “eliminating the sickness” before the two get into an altercation that leads to Young being stabbed, presumably to death. Deaner is now set to lead Young’s group Violent by Design, which will continue with Deaner, Big Kon, and Alan Angels as its primary members.
"ELIMINATE THE SICKNESS!!!"@TheEricYoung@CodyDeaner#IMPACTonAXSTVpic.twitter.com/prKamHFMbN
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) December 2, 2022
Now, a new report from PWInsider states that Eric Young is on his way back to WWE after being released from the company in April of 2020. There is no word yet on when he’s set to start with the company, but he will be another in a long line of released talent to return under Triple H’s new regime in the wake of Vince McMahon’s retirement.
Eric Young Once Claimed WWE Couldn’t Afford Him
While he appears to be WWE-bound now, Eric Young had doubts about WWE being able to meet his price point during an April interview with Lucas Charpiot for VL Media in France. At that time, which was prior to Vince McMahon’s retirement from the company, he said that he’d love to work with numerous talent there but he didn’t think the company would be willing to pay what he was asking prior to the landscape changing under Triple H, who brought Young into NXT during his first run with the company.
“I mean I’m always interested in making money. I don’t think they don’t want me back though. Besides, my price would be too high for them. They wouldn’t be able to afford it. Obviously, there are tons of guys there that I would love to work with.”
“For example, Seth Rollins, with whom I had the chance to work when he was still very young. I worked with him ten or twelve years ago in Iowa for an indie show. There’s a ton of crazy, crazy talented people there. I would jump at the opportunity, but I don’t think they can afford me to be honest.” (h/t Fightful)
Eric Young made his name in TNA/IMPACT Wrestling where he spent over a decade, winning just about everything that could be won in the company including the IMPACT World Championship in 2014.
By 2016 the Canadian star was on his way out of the company and on his way to WWE as part of the NXT brand. Young became the leader of the Sanity group that at different times included Sawyer Fulton, Alexander Wolfe, Nikki Cross, and Killian Dain. During his time on the brand, Eric Young and Alexander Wolfe captured the NXT Tag Team Championship. The group was drafted to SmackDown in April of 2018, and Young was drafted to Raw the next year apart from his group.
Eric Young was released from WWE on April 15, 2020 amidst budget cuts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.