Enzo Amore Details How John Cena Rescued His WWE Career After NXT Debut Went Sideways

Long before Enzo Amore was getting crowds to their feet with catchphrases and S-A-W-F-T chants, he nearly flamed out in NXT before his career ever got started — and the man he credits with keeping him around is John Cena.

In a recent interview, Enzo opened up about the circumstances surrounding his NXT television debut, which came in a squash match loss to Mason Ryan at a time when he hadn’t even officially been assigned a name. He arrived at NXT alongside a large group of hopefuls, most of whom were quickly let go. By his own account, the only others from that group who made it were Charlotte, Baron Corbin, and Mojo Rawley — and Enzo was the last of them to receive an official name.

After losing his debut match, Enzo recalled being chewed out backstage by Bill DeMott, leaving him walking out with his head down. Then word came that John Cena wanted to see him.

“I get there and all the boys are looking at me when I come in and they all clap for me, I’m like ‘what the f**k is happening’,” Enzo said. “John Cena calls me over to him and he goes ‘I’ve been here for three hours and I want you to know you’re the only thing that caught my attention all day. Would you like to come to the ring with me in the dark segment?'”

What followed was an improvisational masterstroke. On the spot, Enzo pointed to Colin Cassady — a man he described at the time as simply a friend who was teaching him the psychology of wrestling — and told Cena that the seven-footer was his tag team partner, Big Cass. Cena obliged, told Cass to come along, and just like that, one of NXT’s most beloved acts was born.

“John Cena got me and Cass over, gave us the rub,” Enzo said plainly. “Triple H gave me a squash match, don’t know if it was supposed to be a one time thing and done, but I lingered there for seven long years and I’m sure he couldn’t wait to get rid of me.”

It’s a remarkable origin story — one of WWE’s most organically over acts of that era essentially created in the parking lot of an NXT taping because Cena spotted something worth investing in. Enzo went on to hold the Raw Tag Team Championship with Cass and later became Cruiserweight Champion before his WWE run ended in 2018.