It’s been a rough couple of months for Enzo Amore. He’s been eating the bottom of his former tag partner’s, Big Cass, boots for weeks now. Even worse, it’s public knowledge that Enzo has become a pariah in the WWE locker room. And to top it off, the momentum Amore once had with WWE’s fan base has begun to seriously dwindle.
And now this.
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According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Enzo may be heading back to NXT. However, WON notes that Enzo’s segments do well on RAW so they may keep him around but stick him in 205 Live.
This doesn’t come as a complete surprise as it’s hard to see where Enzo goes after Big Cass is done picking his bones. But the bigger issue may be that he’s become highly unpopular backstage.
Up Next: Big Cass Proves it’s Best to Leave Too Early
On the most recent episode of Bring it to the Table, WWE announcer Corey Graves had a brutally honest take on Enzo:
“No! No, I don’t like Enzo. He’s a fine guy, but… again, the guy you see on Monday nights, is that guy 24 hours a day. There’s no off switch. It rubs people the wrong way. If you’re on a European tour 12 days deep, and he’s going on and on and on about how he partied on the weekend in LA, you’re gonna get tired of hearing about it. There’s a limit, and when you’re on the road that much, that’ll wear on your nerves.”
JBL also offered to pile on Amore:
“Besides Miz, when the locker room turns on a guy (Enzo), like a human repellent, they usually don’t last long afterward”.
The details are still a little blurry, but most of the heat on Amore stems from a bus incident that leads to Roman Reigns kicking him off of the bus. Further, Enzo has been receiving the “Miz Treatment” where he has been barred by his peers from the talent’s dressing room.
Backstage reports have Enzo not being happy with having to split with Big Cass. For obvious reasons Enzo apparently feels vulnerable in his solo spot as WWE has done little to establish his character as anything more than a colorful squawker.
More: WWE Considering Demoting Superstars to NXT
This placement of Enzo in NXT or 205 Live could be the start of a great thing. WWE’s roster is bloated. Even with 5 hours of live television (9 if you include 205 Live and PPV Weeks) to cover each week, there are hoards of active wrestlers who are not included in WWE programming. To be short, WWE can afford to downsize.
With no outside competition like WCW, WWE has gotten a little complacent– the wrestling conglomerate has lost its sense of urgency. There’ s probably several reasons for that, but one has to be the locker room. With the threat of NXT demotion looming, we are going to see more inspired performances.
This condensed roster concept is why Smackdown can be so good. With only two hours to play with, WWE is forced to scrutinize what actually goes on camera. This means that shoddier talent doesn’t get to play on Tuesday because WWE is forced into cramming its best into a shorter show. That, and the fact that Superstars on Smackdown aren’t prone to overexposure like they are on RAW. On Monday, a 20-minute promo is expected. On Smackdown, an inflated segment like that is impossible.
Let’s hope WWE follows through on this, as it’s hard to find anything negative about a more efficient and emotionally potent WWE.
