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.
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 #WWENXTpic.twitter.com/tiAufXJ7cG
This week’s MLW Underground was taped in Philadelphia during January’s Blood & Thunder TV taping with both Joe Dombrowski and Matt Striker on the call.
Microman defeated Real1
This played into the ongoing storyline between Real1 and Mance Warner. Both had previously knocked each other out in matches but then Warner increased the aggression by running Real1 over with his truck. Then two weeks ago, Real1 defied the laws of modern medicine by miraculously recovering, rising from his wheelchair to cause Warner to lose to Ricky Shane Page in a hardcore match. Warner has recently taken Microman under his wing and has been watching out for him.
Mister Saint Laurent emphatically introduced his superhero client before Real1 entered and smack talked Microman, focusing on his height and size. He even called back to his WWE days by spelling out the one word he wanted to use to describe Microman: “D-W-A-R-F.”
The match itself was more of an angle with Real1 bringing a chair into the ring early on, only to be planted face-first into it after mocking Microman by using him as Simba from the Lion King. Warner then gave Microman a cane to use on a knocked out Real1 behind the referee’s back, followed by him standing on top of his fallen mouthy opponent to get the win.
– After being attacked last week by Raven, Ricky Shane Page and AKIRA (aka The Calling), MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone came out to say he wants revenge and wants The Calling in a War Chamber match. Later in the night, it was announced that the challenge was accepted and it will be on Reelz in three weeks.
At the end of the episode, Hammerstone recruited The Second Gear Crew (Mance Warner, 1 Called Manders & Matthew Justice) to be his partners in the match.
– Ahead of tonight’s main event, we saw a video package on the history of the Opera Cup. It focused on more recent events where Alex Kane stole the Cup from Davey Richards and continues to disrespect both the Cup and its history. Davey Boy Smith Jr. hyped up his match with Kane while warming up backstage. During Smith’s promo, we had a cut-in from The Calling. After the Chamber, could he be next on their hit list?
AKIRA defeated Mike Law
Similar to Page’s debut in his hardcore match with Warner, AKIRA had a choice of blood-stained weapons to choose from as he walked to the ring. He wasted no time in trying to use a sickle he chose before dropping Law with an elevated reverse DDT in a quick match.
– Numerous members of the MLW roster were announced for Battle Riot V that will air on Reelz on April 25th.
– Kane had his chance to hype up the main event with the rest of the Bomaye Fight Club alongside him.
– Where is Cesar Duran? A few weeks ago, he was supposedly kidnapped by his own henchmen, put under a hood and taken away. This week, we again heard from MLW Featherweight Champion Taya Valkyrie and MLW Openweight Champion John Hennigan in a tongue-in-cheek plea to help find Duran by calling their 1-900-LUCHA number.
– 1 Called Manders from the Second Gear Crew said he loves to fight and drink beers and wants to add MLW gold to his belt buckle. He will face Page next week in a hardcore match as part of the hype for the War Chamber match.
– Before the bell for the main event, we cut backstage to see The Calling attacking EJ Nduka. Could this be the last time we see Nduka in MLW? The commentary team played up The Calling attacks being out of control.
Alex Kane (w/ Mr. Thomas & Myron Reed) defeated Davey Boy Smith Jr. (w/ Mark & Thomas Billington)
Reed joined the commentary team and said the only Bomaye game plan he was willing to disclose was to “win, win, win.”
This was described as a catch wrestling vs. grappling match, but Kane hit a dive through the ropes early on before hitting a hard German suplex to the mats on the outside.
Kane followed up with a splash on the apron as the commentary team played up the focused attack on Smith’s neck. Kane continued to slowly beat down Smith with a combination of suplexes and strikes.
Smith’s first comeback consisted of hulking up and popping up from a German suplex. This started a battle of German suplexes from both until Smith finally got the upper hand and kept Kane on the mat. After a strike exchange, a powerslam, a neckbreaker, and a leg drop followed as Smith took advantage.
Smith took to the sky to hit a top rope leg drop for a close nearfall. Kane briefly came back with a flatliner, but when he went to the top rope, he was caught by Smith who planted him with his powerslam finisher.
Smith looked to have had the match won, but Thomas got on the apron to distract the referee and sneak some liquid into the ring. Kane threw the liquid into Smith’s eyes and again suplexed him on his neck to pick up the tainted pinfall win.
After the match, Smith had to clean his eyes as Sam Laterna caught Kane on the stage to question what he did. The Bomaye Fight Club blew off the question and instead turned it into a “Bomaye” chant.
Next week:
Lio Rush in action
1 Called Manders vs. Ricky Shane Page in a hardcore match
MLW Underground (April 18th):
MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone & The Second Gear Crew vs. The Calling in a War Chamber match
For the first time since September 2019, the former Big Cass in WWE stepped into a ring, making a surprise appearance at Luke Gallows’ Lariato Pro Wrestling Saturday night in Lyons, Georgia.
Now going by The CaZXL, the 34-year-old was the mystery partner of Impact’s Hernandez as they faced off against Luke and Perry Hawx. As evident by the picture above, he arrived in fantastic shape.
Former WWE partner Enzo was also on the Lariato Pro show and retweeted a picture of the two while also retweeting a fan suggestion that Impact Wrestling sign the duo.
The road back for William Morrissey after being released by WWE in 2018 has been a winding one. Later that year, he worked for Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore and suffered a epiletic seizure while working a merchandise table at the show. He and former WWE partner Enzo made a surprise appearance at the ROH/New Japan Supershow at Madison Square Garden during WrestleMania weekend in 2019 which ended up going nowhere.
He later began a run with Northeast Wrestling that included a match against former roommate Jon Moxley. He also had a backstage incident with Joey Janela and Pat Buck at a September 2019 WrestlePro show that saw him kicked out of the building and police being called to escort him out which he later apologized for, admitting to struggling with depression.
Former WWE wrestlers Enzo Amore and Big Cass made an appearance at Saturday’s ROH-NJPW G1 Supercard show at MSG that might not be their last.
We are told the appearance was a work, but it’s unknown if the duo has signed a deal with Ring of Honor or New Japan Pro Wrestling but more likely the former.
Following the IWGP tag team title match with the Guerillas of Destiny, Villain Enterprises, EVIL and SANADA, and the Briscoes, Enzo and Cass jumped the rail and started throwing punches with the Briscoes and then Bully Ray. Security, however, didn’t get involved.
The action wasn’t shown on the broadcast nor on the video boards inside the arena. Fans booed the duo heavily.
Here are some videos from Twitter users Luke Allen and Noah Walraven:
Amore (Eric Arndt) was released from WWE in January 2018 following sexual assault allegations. While the Phoenix, AZ, police department closed the case due to insufficient evidence, he was not rehired. He did make a scene at Survivor Series in Los Angeles last November by trying to get to ringside, but was escorted out quickly by security.
Cass (Will Morrissey) was released by WWE in June 2018 after issues with management. He has been working as Big Cazz and Big C on indies and had a seizure in December while doing an appearance at a House of Hardcore show.
Big Cass suffered a legit injury to his knee during a street fight against former partner Enzo Amore on WWE Raw Monday.
Amore was on the ropes when Cass went for a big boot. Amore held the ropes down, sending Cass to the floor. Cass’ left leg landed awkwardly upon impact.
Cass got back in the ring and was favoring the knee. After some light offense, his leg buckled while trying to deliver the Empire elbow. He rolled out of the ring, visibly upset and yelling out expletives while slapping the ropes. The match was called and Enzo was declared the winner due to injury.
Amore and Cass have been feuding over the last several months, splitting as a team following the big reveal that Cass had been attacking Amore backstage. Cass has been dominant as a singles competitor as the loss was his first since mid-June.
