Tag: enzo amore

The latest on potenital WWE return for Enzo & Big Cass | Exclusive

Posted on by Bryan Rose

More on a potential Enzo Amore & Big Cass reunion.

In this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it was noted that Amore is set to return to NXT soon. However, there hasn’t been much discussion on Big Cass, who remains under AEW contract.

“The current plan has Enzo Amore to be in NXT soon. Nothing on Big Bill, the former Big Cass, is official or even talked about heavily in the company, but outside the company there is a lot of talk,” Meltzer wrote. He compared the situation to Chris Jericho’s, where just because someone is off television for a period, doesn’t necessarily mean they are on their way out. 

Bill’s last AEW match to date was in early April, when he and Bryan Keith wrestled during a set of Ring of Honor tapings.

Amore has already been spotted at the WWE PC

WrestleVotes reported earlier this month that WWE was interested in reuniting the two after Amore was reported to be visiting the WWE Performance Center.

The two became big stars in NXT. After being called up to the main roster, the two enjoyed further success before Cass turned against Enzo Amore. After their feud, the two continued as singles wrestlers until Amore was released in 2018 following sexual assault allegations. The Phoenix Police Department later announced that his case had been closed with no charges filed. In the time since his release, Amore was worked the independent scene.

Cass was released the same year and struggled with addiction following his departure. He eventually found sobriety and signed with TNA in 2021 before joining AEW one year later.

Report: Update on Enzo and Cass’ potential WWE return

Posted on by Vincent Verhei

Last week, we reported on the possibility of Enzo Amore and Big Cass reuniting in WWE. Now it seems that reunion is getting closer to reality. 

A report at Fightful Select says that Amore’s indy schedule is becoming a lot lighter. 

“Fightful Select has since learned from those close to Enzo Amore that some promoters are being told that he was not taking bookings in the future that he regularly would be taking,” the report reads. “Those promoters are operating on the assumption that Enzo is headed to WWE and will be signing there.”

Meanwhile, Big Cass’ contract with AEW/ROH (where he has been wrestling as Big Bill) is still reportedly expiring in the next few weeks. His last match with the promotion was a win alongside Bryan Keith against Nick Halen & Vin Parker in ROH on April 6. 

Amore and Cass had teamed in NXT/WWE for several years before splitting up in 2017. Amore went on to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, but he was suspended and then released early in 2018 following an accusation of sexual assault. No charges were ever filed in the case. 

Cass was released later that year due to behavioral problems. He has since discussed the alcoholism and other issues he was battling at the time. After a stint in Impact/TNA, he signed with AEW in 2022. He would go on to win the AEW World Tag Team Championships along with Ricky Starks (now wrestling on SmackDown as Ricky Saints). 

WWE reportedly interested in reuniting Enzo Amore and Big Cass for return 

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

New reports suggest WWE is interested in reuniting Enzo Amore and Big Cass for a return.

According to WrestleVotes on Fightful Select, WWE is interested in reuniting and bringing back Enzo Amore and Big Cass to the company. They have maintained a positive relationship with several producers backstage including from their NXT days. Big Cass’s AEW contract is reportedly set to expire by the end of May. 

A few days ago, Amore was reportedly at the WWE Performance Center. He debuted in WWE in 2012 but was released in 2018 when sexual assault allegations came forward. Later, he made his wrestling return and competed in NJPW, MLW and even made his TNA debut at the 2025 Slammiversary pre-show. 

Meanwhile, Cass signed with AEW in 2022 and made his official debut in May that year. 

The two united as a heel tag team on NXT in 2013. They challenged for the WWE Tag Team titles on numerous occasions. Amore’s mic skills and Cass’s intimidating stature, made them a fan-favorite with their diverse in-ring personas. 

Former WWE star reportedly at Performance Center before NXT

Posted on by Jake Skudder

Former WWE star Enzo Amore was reportedly at the Performance Center yesterday ahead of the NXT broadcast on the CW Network.

According to a new report from False Finish: “False Finish has learned that former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore has been at the WWE Performance Center recently and was there yesterday ahead of #WWENXT“

Amore was originally suspended from WWE on January 22, 2018, due to sexual assault allegations and then subsequently released on January 23, 2018, with the WWE website reporting: “WWE has come to terms on the release of Eric Arndt (Enzo Amore).“

For context, the sexual assault case against Enzo Amore closed with no charges filed. A representative for the Phoenix Police Department stated, “The case has been investigated to its fullest extent, while working with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. The case has been closed. This would not preclude the case from reopening, should new evidence come to light.”

Could Enzo Amore and Big Cass return to WWE?

Intriguingly, Fightful Select reportedly back in April that there was the belief Big Bill’s AEW contract was coming up at the end of May or the start of June. There was no news on contract negotiations or the chances of his returning.

The former AEW World Tag Team Champion hasn’t been in the promotion since an eight-man February parking lot street fight on Collision, one of just two AEW matches he’s had this calendar year.

With Big Bill/Big Cass potentially back on the free agent market soon and Enzo Amore free to sign anywhere (as far as we believe), there’s a very good chance we see them back in WWE at some point.

Former Enzo Amore reflects on 8-year anniversary of losing WWE ‘dream job’

Posted on by Ian Carey

nZo, formerly Enzo Amore in WWE, posted a video to social media on Friday reflecting on the eight year anniversary of his WWE departure.

The 39-year-old was released from the company on January 23, 2018 in the wake of a sexual assault allegation that had been filed against him in Phoenix the previous October. The police concluded their investigation that May and did not file charges against him due to insufficient evidence.

“8 years ago today, I lost my dream job @wwe,” nZo captioned his post with.

The video appears to be professionally produced and features interviews with his sister, Big Bill and others.

nZo says in the video, “When I first got signed, Dusty Rhodes said to me ‘You can be good, you can be bad, or you can be different. And you are different.'”

Big Bill says in the video, “He’s a one of one on planet Earth. 8 billion people and there is one Enzo.”

Currently, nZo is the Flyweight Champion for WestSide Gunn’s promotion, 4th Rope Wrestling. He appeared on TNA programming last year promoting the company. nZo is also active on the independents, having wrestled with promotions such as ACW in New York, The Good Brothers’ Lariato Pro, and Coastal Championship Wrestling in Florida recently.

Enzo Amore says he reached out to AEW: ‘They had no interest’

Posted on by Ian Carey

Real1, the former Enzo Amore, says he reached out to AEW.

Amore was a guest on the No Contest Wrestling podcast on Wednesday to promote his appearance on Thursday night’s 4th Rope Wrestling event at the Six Flags in Jackson Township, New Jersey. During the interview, he mentioned that he’d contacted AEW but the promotion was not interested in his services.

Amore said:

“AEW was something that I considered. I reached out. They had no interest. And I’m at a point where if it’s f–k me, it’s f–k you. What do I care? What are you going to cancel me?”

“I have nothing to lose, bro. I’ve already lost everything. I’ve been dragged through the mud.”

Amore’s former WWE tag team partner, Big Bill (formerly known as Big Cass), has been with AEW since late 2022. He held the promotion’s tag team titles on one occasion with Ricky Starks, and currently teams with Bryan Keith.

Amore continued to say of his current promotion:

“4th Rope is really all of the things that I love. It’s hip-hop, it’s wrestling, it’s fashion, it’s rap, and it’s all of those things wrapped into one because that’s what this business is, bro. If you look back at the history of pro wrestling, it’s sex, drugs, rock and roll. It’s wild.”

4th Rope Wrestling is run by rapper Westside Gunn. Amore is the current Flyweight Champion for the promotion, a title he will defend against Gangrel on Thursday, raising some questions about the nature of the division the belt represents.

Amore represented 4th Rope in an angle in TNA Wrestling this summer, leading to his appearance on the Slammiversary pre-show.

Amore’s full appearance on The No Contest Wrestling podcast is available below:

Enzo Amore vignette airs on TNA Impact

Posted on by Ethan Renner

A vignette starring the wrestler formerly known as Enzo Amore aired during Thursday’s TNA Impact.

The vignette began with an announcement that the message had been paid for by Fourth Rope Wrestling, an independent wrestling company where Amore holds the Flyweight Championship. Amore then made several callbacks to his former WWE catchphrases.

Without explicitly stating that he would appear at next Sunday’s TNA Slammiversary pay-per-view in New York, Amore suggested that TNA should bring him in for the event.

The former Amore went on to allude to an angle shot at the NJPW and ROH event held in Madison Square Garden where he and former tag partner Big Cass attacked The Briscoes in a work that was made to look like a shoot.

Amore is a two-time former WWE Cruiserweight Champion who was fired from the promotion in January 2018 after facing sexual assault allegations and an ensuing investigation from Phoenix, Arizona police. The Phoenix PD later dropped the investigation, but Amore was not rehired.

Later in 2018, Amore disrupted the WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view at Staples Center in Los Angeles. He first sat in the crowd at ringside wearing a disguise, then stood on his seat and began shouting in plain view of the hard camera before being ejected from the venue.

Slammiversary will be held at the UBS Arena on Long Island on Sunday, July 20:

TNA Slammiversary, Sunday, July 20 on pay-per-view —

  • TNA World Champion Trick Williams defends against Joe Hendry and Mike Santana in a triple threat
  • Double title match: TNA Knockouts World Champion Masha Slamovich vs. NXT Women’s Champion (Jacy Jayne or Jordynne Grace)
  • Ladder match: TNA Tag Team Champions Nic Nemeth and Ryan Nemeth defend against Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy, Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz, & AJ Francis and KC Navarro in a four-way
  • TNA X-Division Champion Moose defends against Leon Slater
  • TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions Ash by Elegance and HEather by Elegance defend against The IInspiration (Cassie Lee & Jessica McKay)
  • Mustafa Ali vs. Cedric Alexander
  • Tessa Blanchard vs. Indi Hartwell

Big Bill hopes Enzo Amore ‘gets another shot in pro wrestling’

Posted on by Ian Carey

Big Bill wants to see his old tag team partner get another shot in wrestling.

Enzo Amore and Big Cass were a tag team in WWE from 2013 to 2017. They were both released from the company in 2018 but reunited briefly at the G1 Supercard MSG show in 2019, and later on the independents.

Bill would later go on to work with Impact Wrestling in 2021 and then signed with AEW in 2022.

During an appearance on the Barstool Sports Rasslin’ podcast, Bill shared that he hopes Enzo gets another shot in the industry, feeling as though he’s too talented not to.

“Still good friends with Enzo, he’s the f—ing man,” Bill said on the show. “People ask me about Enzo all the time and I tell them he might be the only person I know that’s a one-of-one. They ask, ‘what do you mean?’ There is no one else on the planet like him, he is a one-of-one. You cannot replicate him. He’s an incredibly talented guy.”

“I love Enzo. I really hope he gets another shot in pro wrestling. I feel he’s too talented to not. He’s so clever, unique, wrote most of his own promos. He’s just a funny guy. He’s very clever, he’s very unique. One of one.”

While Enzo has not caught on with a larger promotion such as AEW, he has kept an active schedule on the independents. He challenged AJ Francis for the TNA Digital title at a Memphis Wrestling show in July, and wrestled for the Hart family’s Dungeon Wrestling in Calgary in June. He also wrestles regularly for OVW and had a run with MLW from late 2021 until the two sides had a falling out in early 2023.

The full interview is available below:

Enzo Amore: I’ll end up at Tokyo Dome if I get chance to ‘do what I do’ in NJPW debut

Posted on by Josh Nason

The former Enzo Amore is setting his sights high when it comes to his potential future with NJPW following his debut for the promotion this Saturday at Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena.

As part of the All-Star Junior Festival USA event, the man now known as Real1/nZo will be in a trios match alongside Jack Cartwheel & Starboy Charlie vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Rich Swann & The DKC.

Speaking on Busted Open Radio Tuesday, Real1 said if he gets the opportunity from Rocky Romero to “do what I do, I guarantee you I end up over in Japan in the Tokyo Dome in front of a hundred f**king thousand people and taking everything that I deserve that should be f**king mine.”

This won’t be Real1’s first dalliance with the promotion as he and the current Big Bill in AEW jumped over the guardrail in an angle during the April 2019 ROH/NJPW G1 Supercard at Madison Square Garden following a multi-team IWGP Tag Team title match. He and Bill never wrestled for the promotion, though.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity, honestly. Me being gracious is something you don’t hear too much…humility and humbleness when I cut promos and start talking, but I have the utmost respect for what they do in New Japan and the way that it’s done and the honor that it holds and how long they’ve been doing it. A standard of success — a precedent that has been set in the business internationally,” he said.

Real1 says he never agreed to MLW title match, wasn’t under contract

Posted on by Josh Nason

A day after it was reported that MLW had released Real1, the former Enzo Amore fired back at the company in a series of videos Saturday where he clarified his stance and took aim at some recent creative direction he was given.

Real1 said that he was never under contract to MLW and has always been a free agent working in good faith. He said he told MLW owner Court Bauer on his first day that he never wanted to wrestle for the company’s main title so it was “false advertising” when they recently announced a title match between he and Alexander Hammerstone for this upcoming weekend.

He said at the last MLW taping, he was given a stack of posters to sign with the match advertised and when he questioned it to Bauer, he said he was told that it was an oversight that slipped through the cracks and that Bauer was wearing too many hats. 

“You forgot, bro? I was born at night, but not last night,” he said.

While he thanked the staff and wrestlers and said he had a great time in his two years there, Real1 said it was “bad business” and a “low blow” on Bauer’s behalf that he put out a story during WrestleMania weekend about him being fired and “trying to squeeze out a headline.”

He also claimed Bauer gave him creative directions “to bury a guy who just beat cancer” which would be Richard Holliday who completed chemotherapy treatments in February. If true, it’s assumed that was a storyline/feud MLW wanted to go with at some point this year when Holliday returns.

“I do a lot of things on the microphone and I say a lot of sh*t, but that ain’t one of them. Sorry, cancer is a sensitive subject,” he said, later adding, “I didn’t want to bury a guy who just beat cancer. There was nothing left for me to do in MLW.”

MLW returns for two Northeast U.S. events this upcoming weekend.

Real1/Enzo Amore released by MLW

Posted on by Josh Nason

This story was updated at 4:15 PM Eastern.

Real1, the former Enzo Amore and nZo, has been released by MLW, according to Dave Meltzer.

Details were initially light as to why, but Fightful reported Saturday afternoon that Real1 “declined much of the upcoming creative and wasn’t interested in working with some top talent in the company.” and that “those we spoke to said there were also issues with him putting over other talent at upcoming shows.”

Just over a week ago, he was announced as challenging current MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone for the title at next Saturday’s Battle Riot V in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was also scheduled for their War Chamber TV taping this Thursday against Willie Mack.

As of this writing, Real1, nor MLW, has posted anything about the release. He is in Los Angeles for WrestleCon where he said on Twitter he would be appearing Saturday.

On last week’s MLW Underground, he was defeated in two minutes by Microman. As of now, his only unaired MLW match is a four-way dumpster match with Mance Warner, Microman and Matthew Justice.

The former WWE star debuted with the company in late-2011 and was a regular, working feuds with Jacob Fatu, KC Navarro and recently, Warner.

Enzo Amore vs. Microman added to MLW Blood & Thunder

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The former Enzo Amore is set to face off with MLW’s smallest wrestler at Blood & Thunder.

MLW has announced that Real1 vs. Microman has been added to the lineup for Blood & Thunder 2023, which is taking place at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday, January 7. The event is a television taping for MLW Fusion.

“The match came about at the insistence of Microman, who lobbied league officials to book the bout. Microman was disrespected by being literally punted by Real1 out of the ring at a critical moment in Battle RIOT IV,” MLW wrote.

“The vicious elimination not only was brutal but cost Microman a coveted opportunity to win the Battle Riot and be granted a title shot anytime, anywhere.”

Jacob Fatu won Battle Riot IV and will be getting a future MLW World Heavyweight Championship match against Alex Hammerstone. Fatu is facing Dragon Gate’s Ben-K at Blood & Thunder.

The updated card for the Blood & Thunder tapings can be seen below:

  • MLW World Heavyweight Champion Alex Hammerstone defends against Yamato
  • MLW Tag Team Champions EJ Nduka & Calvin Tankman defend against The Samoan Swat Team (Lance Anoa’i & Juicy Finau)
  • MLW National Openweight Champion Davey Richards defends against Johnny Fusion
  • Jacob Fatu vs. Ben-K
  • Real1 vs. Microman

Former Braun Strowman & Erick Rowan to reunite for NEW

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The former Braun Strowman and Erick Rowan are set to reunite in a tag team match for Northeast Wrestling.

It was announced today that Adam Scherr & Erick Redbeard will face Bully Ray & nZo in the main event of Northeast Wrestling’s WrestleFest 26 show on Saturday, January 22. The event is taking place at the MJN Convention Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Scherr and Redbeard were formerly part of The Wyatt Family in WWE. Scherr was released by WWE last June, while Redbeard was released in April 2020.

Scherr’s first post-WWE match was a cinematic bout against EC3 on EC3’s Free the Narrative II. EC3 and Scherr then teamed up at Great Lakes Championship Wrestling’s Blizzard Brawl event last month, defeating Jake Something and Rohit Raju.

Scherr also made an appearance at December’s ROH Final Battle PPV.

Redbeard will face nZo in a singles match at Northeast Wrestling’s Over the Top show in Waterbury, Connecticut on Friday, January 21. Strowman & EC3 vs. Vincent Marseglia & Dutch is also set for Over the Top.

Northeast Wrestling’s full announcement of the Scherr & Redbeard vs. Bully Ray & nZo match is available below:

Broken on Busted Open Radio on SiriusXM with David LaGreca and Bully Ray – NZO put out the challenge and it was accepted.

The Main Event of Northeast Wrestling – Wrestlefest 26 MJN – Majed J. Nesheiwat Convention Center in Poughkeepsie, New York is:

Former Wyatt Family Members team up for the first time since leaving the WWE – Adam Scherr fka Braun Strowman and Erick Redbeard face NZO and WWE Hall of Famer BULLY RAY!!!

Plus:

  • First Time Ever Dream Match Malakai Black vs. The Trend Matt Taven
  • All Elite Wrestling Tag Team Champions – The Lucha Brothers REY FENIX Penta El Cero Miedo vs. Ring of Honor Wrestling Bandido and Flip Gordon
  • NEW Title Match Danny Maff vs. JT Dunn
  • Thunder Rosa vs. Megasus Megan Bayne
  • Eddie Kingston will be in action!!
  • Jay Lethal vs. Christopher Daniels
  • Vincent w/Dutch vs. Hale Collins
  • 8 Man Tag Team Match NEW Tag Team Champions Club Cam Cameron Zagami Antonio Zambrano and The Trust Fund – NEW LIVE Champion Mike Verna & Channing Thomas w/ Nikii Duke vs. Wrecking Ball Legursky Waves and Curls Traevon Jordan Jaylen Brandyn & Giovanni Galvano
  • Appearances by WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter – The Godfather and more….

Autograph Session with all the the stars at 4pm.

Get your tickets now at www.northeastwrestling.com

nZo to make MLW debut at War Chamber tapings

Posted on by Skylar Russell

nZo is coming to MLW.

The former Enzo Amore in WWE told TMZ that he is signed for the November 6th War Chamber event in Philadelphia, PA. He said he hasn’t signed a contract anywhere, but isn’t planning on this being a one-off appearance.

“Is MLW gonna be a one-off? Absolutely not. Line ’em up and knock ’em down,” he said. 

The 34-year-old has been more active on the indies this year with multiple appearances for SWE in Texas as well as Northeast Wrestling where he recently lost to Jerry Lawler in a casket match.

He indicated to TMZ that his days of singing and dancing are over and that it’s time to get in the ring with real competition.

MLW has yet to formally announce the news, but did announce that Homicide will take on LA Park on the War Chamber/Fusion: Alpha TV taping.

The match came to fruition after Homicide teamed up with 5150 stablemates Rivera and Slice Boogie to face Los Parks (El Hijo de LA Park, LA Park & LA Park Jr.) in a six-man tag match at the recent Fightland TV tapings that ended up going to a no contest.

This will be Homicide’s first in-ring appearance for the company since July of 2018 where he was defeated by PCO.

The show will be headlined by a War Chamber (War Games) match featuring CONTRA Unit (Ikuro Kwon, Jacob Fatu, Josef Samael and Mads Krugger) vs. The Hammerheads (Alexander Hammerstone, EJ Nduka, Richard Holliday and TBA) in a War Chamber match in addition to the finals of the 2021 Opera Cup tournament.

Enzo Amore thanks fans after being knocked unconscious in indie match

Posted on by Josh Nason

nZo, the former Enzo Amore in WWE, thanked fans on Twitter Sunday after being knocked unconscious during an indie event Saturday night.

As discussed on Wrestling Observer Radio, nZo was working with Ivan Warsaw for SWE in Dallas, Texas, when he took a DDT on the floor and was knocked out. He was stretchered out and taken to a local hospital.

Neither nZo nor the promotion has given any update on his condition as of Sunday afternoon, but nZO did tweet “Thanks everybody” shortly after RTing an Owen Hart tribute with “RIP Owen.”

This was nZo’s debut with the promotion and just his second match of the year after he won a gauntlet match for Doc Gallows’ Lariato Pro in late-February. 

The 34-year-old has wrestled sparingly since being released by WWE in 2018 following a rape allegation. He denied the allegations and Phoenix, AZ, police later concluded there wasn’t enough evidence and charges were dropped. He did “return” to WWE as a fan during the 2018 Survivor Series and was kicked out of the building when he caused an commotion trying to get on TV while in the crowd.

He has wrestled just seven times since 2019 and made an appearance during a Talk ‘N ShopAMania pay-per-view.