Enzo Amore

Enzo Amore

Amore in 2015.
Birth name Eric Arndt[1]
Born December 8, 1986[1][2]
Hackensack, New Jersey, United States[1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Enzo Amore[3]
Billed height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[3]
Billed weight 200 lb (91 kg)[3]
Billed from Hackensack, New Jersey[3]
Trained by WWE NXT[3]

Eric Arndt[1] (born December 8, 1986)[1][2] is an American professional wrestler.[1] He is signed to WWE, where he performs under the ring name Enzo Amore within their developmental system NXT.[3]

Professional wrestling career

WWE

NXT (2012–present)

Arndt had no prior wrestling experience before WWE signed him.[4] He had trained with Joe DeFranco at the DeFranco's Training Systems gym in Wyckoff, New Jersey since the age of 14. By chance, WWE executive Triple H also started training with DeFranco; Arndt, a lifelong fan of professional wrestling, made a compilation video of himself doing various exercises and cutting a promo. When DeFranco showed the video to Triple H, Arndt was given a tryout at WWE,[4] ultimately resulting in his signing.[1] In August 2012, WWE was noted to have signed Arndt, then under the pseudonym Eric Anthony.[5][6] He was listed as a wrestler by the ring name of Enzo Amore within WWE's developmental system NXT by November 2012.[1][2]

Arndt made his NXT television debut under the ring name Enzo Amore on May 22, 2013, where he was quickly defeated by Mason Ryan.[7] The character has been described as a "stereotypical cocky, Jersey Shore loudmouth" and an "outsized version of the man playing the part".[1] Amore went on to form an alliance with Colin Cassady,[8] who had also previously lost to Ryan,[9] and they labelled themselves "the realest guys in the room".[8][10][11] In real life, Arndt (Amore) first met Bill Morrissey (Cassady) when Morrissey was 15, when they played basketball together at the Cage of Manhattan, New York nearly 10 years before reuniting on NXT in August 2013.[12]

Despite Amore and Cassady's alliance, Ryan easily defeated them in consecutive singles matches in July,[13] but lost to them in a handicap match.[10] Ryan ultimately had the last laugh when he caused Amore and Cassady to be attacked by Tons of Funk.[11] After the feud with Ryan, Amore and Cassady went on to feud with Alexander Rusev, Sylvester Lefort and Scott Dawson.[14][15] On September 25 episode of NXT, Amore and Cassady participated in a gauntlet match for a future shot at the NXT Tag Team Championship; they started the match, first defeating C.J. Parker and Tyler Breeze, then beating Rusev and Dawson, but fell to their final opponents, the Ascension.[16]

In November 2013, Amore suffered a broken leg while training.[17] Amore returned on June 26, 2014 episode of NXT, saving Cassady from an attack from Sylvester Lefort and Marcus Louis.[18] In early August, Amore and Cassady participated in the NXT Tag Team Championship tournament. They defeated Jason Jordan and Tye Dillinger in the first round but were eliminated by the Vaudevillians (Aiden English and Simon Gotch) in the second round.[19][11] Lefort and Louis then renewed their rivalry with Amore and Cassady by attacking them and shaving Amore's beard. As a result, Amore challenged Lefort to a match with the loser's hair as forfeit at NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way. Amore proceeded to win the match but Lefort ran away, leaving his partner, Louis, to lose his hair and eyebrows at the hands of Amore and Cassady.[20]

Amore and Cassady formed an alliance with the debuting Carmella. The duo had accidentally cost Carmella her hairdressing job as per the storyline, causing her to demand to get a job as a wrestler.[21][22] Carmella had her televised in-ring debut on the October 16, 2014 episode of NXT.[23] Among the trainers at NXT, Amore singled out Bill DeMott and Dusty Rhodes as being instrumental in his training and promos respectively.[4]

Personal life

Arndt was born in Hackensack, New Jersey.[1] He grew up in Waldwick, where he attended Memorial Elementary School and played football at Waldwick High School.[1]

While studying at Salisbury University and ultimately earning a journalism degree,[1] Arndt played Division III (NCAA) college football from 2007 to 2009.[1][12] He played as a linebacker and a safety for the Salisbury Sea Gulls.[1][24]

Before signing with WWE, Arndt had worked as a disc jockey for the New York Jets,[12] a piano mover and a manager at Hooters.[1]

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

Luchas de Apuestas record

Wager Winner Loser Location Date Notes
Hair Enzo Amore Sylvester Lefort Orlando, Florida September 11, 2014 Hair vs. Hair match at NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way;[20]
Lefort's ally Marcus Louis lost his hair after Lefort ran away.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Locicero, Anthony. "Where are they now? Former Waldwick football player Eric Arndt". North Jersey Media Group. Archived from the original on June 30, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Enzo Amore – old NXT profile". NXT Wrestling. Archived from the original on November 1, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 "Enzo Amore – WWE profile". WWE. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Tully, Louis. "The Chad Dukes Wrestling Show with Enzo Amore". Archived from the original on February 7, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  5. ↑ Scherer, Dave. "New WWE signings, the next step for former WWE Diva". PWInsider. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Enzo Amore". Twitter. Archived from the original on June 29, 2014.
  7. ↑ James, Justin. "James's WWE NXT report 5/15 & 5/22: El Generico debuts, O'Brian beats two NXT releases in same match, Bray Wyatt debuts mask, Natalya vs. Rae, more developments". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Saxton, Byron. "Colin Cassady & Enzo Amore: 'The Realest Guys in the Room' – Page 2". WWE. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  9. ↑ James, Justin. "James's WWE NXT results 5/29 & 6/5: Wyatts defend Tag Titles, NXT Women's Title introduced, #1 contender battle royal, Parade of released NXT wrestlers in matches". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 James, Justin. "James's WWE NXT report 7/10: Wyatts vs. Team Regal six-man main event, NXT Women's Title tourney continues, Generico (Zayn), Mason Ryan, set-up for Charlotte's debut". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Namako, Jason. "WWE NXT results – 8/1/13 (tag team main event)". WrestleView. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Saxton, Byron. "Colin Cassady & Enzo Amore: 'The Realest Guys in the Room' – Page 1". WWE. Archived from the original on August 20, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  13. ↑ James, Justin. "James's WWE NXT report 7/3 – WEEK 53: Bo Dallas defends NXT Title, Women's Tourney continues, Mason Ryan". PWTorch. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  14. ↑ James, Justin. "James's WWE NXT report 9/11". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  15. ↑ James, Justin. "James's WWE NXT report 10/9". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  16. ↑ "James's WWE NXT report 9/25 – Week 65: Triple H makes "big announcement," Ohno/Hero returns, Zayn/Generico in action, Overall Reax". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  17. ↑ Saxton, Byron. "Riding solo: Can Colin Cassady go it alone?". WWE. Archived from the original on April 23, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  18. ↑ Justin, James. "James's WWE NXT report 6/26 – Week 104: RVD faces NXT champion Neville, Summer Rae, Overall Reax". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  19. ↑ James, Justin. "James's WWE NXT report 8/7 – Week 110: Rose finds his way into Zayn vs. Kidd & Gabriel issue, Overall Reax". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Howell, Nolan. "Neville shocks, defies odds at NXT Takeover: Fatal 4 Way". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  21. ↑ Namako, Jason. "WWE NXT Results – 9/4/14 (Tag Tournament Finals)". WrestleView. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  22. ↑ Namako, Jason. "WWE NXT Results – 9/18/14 (Hideo Itami in-ring debut)". WrestleView. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  23. ↑ Trionfo, Richard. "WWE NXT report: one move to win a match; a Diva debuts; Zayn versus Kidd; and an update on Mojo Rawley". PWInsider. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Football – 2 – Eric Arndt". Salisbury Sea Gulls. Archived from the original on October 8, 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  25. ↑ "WWE NXT results: Rhyno returns after 10-year absence at Full Sail University". Sky Sports. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  26. ↑ "WWE NXT: SAWFT is a Sin (feat. Enzo Amore) – Single by CFO$". iTunes. Archived from the original on July 7, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2014". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved December 2, 2014.

External links