PHILADELPHIA – While the red-hot action inside the ring at TakeOver: Philadelphia kept NXT fans on the edge of their seats, the surprise cameo of NXT’s newest blockbuster signing has the entire sports-entertainment world buzzing.

EC3, a familiar face to many longtime WWE fans, made an unannounced appearance Saturday night, sitting among the NXT Universe inside the jam-packed Wells Fargo Center. A ring veteran of more than 15 years, EC3 posed for WWE Network cameras as Mauro Ranallo confirmed that the brawny Superstar is NXT’s newest signee.

Stay with WWE.com for more coverage of this story as it develops.

EC3 explains what makes him a much more dangerous competitor in NXT following his time spent with WWE five years ago.