Enzo Amore Talks Recent Call With WWE's Mark Carrano, Big Cass' Status
Entertainment reporter and AEW backstage interviewer Chris Van Vliet recently interviewed former WWE Superstar Enzo Amore, also known as nZo. Among many other things, nZo shared that he is returning to professional wrestling, as the former WWE Cruiserweight Champion was inspired by seeing former WWE Superstars CaZXL (Big Cass) and Jon Moxley (Dean Ambrose) wrestling on the indies.
nZo will be returning to in-ring competition at the first ever live pro wrestling show at Los Angeles, California's Comedy Store this Saturday, November 23rd at 2pm. It will be his second match since his WWE departure WWE in early 2018.
"Well, I do have a match lined up and I'm running my own show. I wouldn't say 'I'm running it' because I have people who are doing it with me, at the Comedy Store." nZo added, "yes, I'm stepping back into pro wrestling and I've initiated that on my terms from Survivor Series, to Madison Square Garden, to now. That's the ultimate blessing to do these things without signing any contracts and exclusivity."
Apparently, nZo was inspired to get back into professional wrestling from seeing Jon Moxley and CaZXL work on the indies with no restrictions or pressure.
"The pro wrestling world, I didn't really see myself getting back into it until Big Cass," nZo acknowledged. "The rekindling of a relationship and a friendship and seeing him get back on his feet against Jon Moxley for NEW. Mike Lombardi, thank you. That match meant a lot to Big Cass. He was roommates with Dean Ambrose, Jon Moxley, and he never wrestled him. And when I moved into the WWE, they were roommates, so I know them. So to see those two guys wrestle, that was the first time I got involved in a promotion outside of the WWE.
"I went to that show and I saw two guys calling it in the ring, calling s–t on the fly, not discussing it in the back. We were hanging out in the back and we were talking about life. When they got to the ring, they just worked and they didn't have a producer telling them what to do. They didn't have anybody in the headset. No pressure. And I thought to myself in that moment, 'wow, I've never done this! I've worked for WWE for 6 years and I've never worked outside of them."
nZo also provided an update on CaZXL in light of the big man's well-documented personal struggles in recent months. nZo claimed that his tag team partner is doing everything in his power to be the best he can be, though he does not know whether 'The Big Bambino' man will ever wrestle again. He noted that CazXL is not the same person that was his friend in the past and is suffering from a real disease
"I spoke to [CazXL] yesterday," nZo divulged. "He's doing everything he possibly can to be the best version of himself. Will we ever see him in tights again? Honestly, I can't tell you. I have no idea. I just know one thing: that the best friend that I had is not the same guy that [has] been walking around the past couple of years. The things he [has] been dealing with mentally, I can't relate to.
"Just because I can't relate, I've had to learn that it doesn't mean I can't understand because it's real. Mental health is real and I saw it firsthand. It's real and this guy is going through something that I would consider a disease, a disease, and other people are going through that. If he can come out of this thing and inspire people in ways like Tyson Fury has, that's a new purpose for him."
nZo shared that he recently unblocked WWE Senior Director Of Talent Relations Mark Carrano's telephone number to talk to the WWE executive about CaZXL.
"I unblocked Mark Carrano and we spoke recently about Big Cass, but it had nothing to do with me or the biz," nZo said. "I just let them know that when you guys fired that man, he wasn't in a good way and you knew it. Now help him."
Check out the interview in the video above. If you use any of the quotations that appear in this article, please credit Chris Van Vliet with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.