Fighting

PRO WRESTLING: Entertaining Enzo Amore, Colin Cassady ready for NXT tag title shot on WWE Network

By Jim Varsallone

jvarsallone@miamiherald.com

Enzo Amore is living the American Dream at NXT shows at Full Sail Live at Full Sail University in Winter Park, near Orlando, and on tour, like at the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce, which is where NXT returns on June 5.
Enzo Amore is living the American Dream at NXT shows at Full Sail Live at Full Sail University in Winter Park, near Orlando, and on tour, like at the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce, which is where NXT returns on June 5. Photo By Jim Varsallone

One day they’re playing pickup ball on a famous New York City basketball court, and the next they’re tag teaming in a will be famous WWE NXT ring.

Small world as the athletic paths of New Jersey’s Enzo Amore and New York’s Big Cass Colin Cassady crossed twice, the latter and more relevant via WWE developmental in the Sunshine State.

NXT Enzo Amore video interview

The Cage off West 4th St. and 6th Ave. in Manhattan is where the paths of Amore and Cassady first crossed. The Cage is not the steel type version surrounding a wrestling ring but rather a linked fence outlining some famous outdoor basketball courts, noted for pickup ball, streetball.

Another connection also exists with Amore and his versatile tag team partner Cassady. The 6-10 Big Cass is from Queens, N.Y.; Amore, a Hackensack, N.J. kid. Their Northeastern attitude, style, swag mesh well together, making them one of the crowd favorites.

Handling the mic helps greatly, and that runs in the Amore family, and it shows as the unique looking Enzo connects body, mind and soul with audiences during NXT shows on tour or on WWE Network. Like an enhanced Billy Gunn with Road Dogg, Cassady adds well to the ‘going viral, hashtag embraced’ wordings.

Fans caught their catch phrases, throwing them back in unison whenever the two appear. It’s an example of making harmony through audience participation with the talent.

From WWE.com

NXT Enzo Amore Bio

Dubbing himself “Jersey's finest,” Enzo Amore reps the Garden State “like 225 on a barbell, 10 pounds of hair gel, steadily working on his swell.” The realest guy in the room everywhere he goes, Enzo Amore is a straight shooter. He speaks his mind at all times and at an incredible rate.

Inspired by the bright lights of the New York City skyline, this trash-talking Superstar is equipped with an arsenal of metaphorical verbiage and never shies away from destroying the psyche of his opponents. What the 5-11 Amore lacks in size, he makes up for with his tough guy mentality and reckless abandon. Also helping matters is Amore’s towering buddy, Colin Cassady, who often teams with the outspoken Superstar. They are managed by sassy NXT Diva Carmella.

Amore and Cassady teamed to defeat The Vaudevillains in February, but after the big win, NXT tag team champs Blake and Murphy appeared on the video screen and invited Carmella to ditch Amore and Cassady and join them instead, but NXT’s Princess of Staten Island did not seem convinced.

On the March 11 edition of NXT, the “realest guys in the room” came one step closer to defending Carmella’s honor and getting a match against Blake and Murphy when they defeated The Lucha Dragons to become the NXT tag team championship No.1 contenders.

During a subsequent match between Cassady and Blake, Carmella was inadvertently shoved off the apron, leading to Cassady’s loss. On the March 25 edition of NXT, the champions presented The Princess of Staten Island with jewelry as an apology, a gesture that only served to upset the No.1 contenders.

The trouble between the two teams continued on April 29 during a non-title contest. In the midst of competition, Murphy blew a kiss to Carmella at ringside. The misstep cost him dearly, as Amore and Cassady capitalized on the distraction and won the bout. Will the result be the same when these teams finally face off with the NXT tag team titles on the line during the NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable live special on WWE Network?

NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable

live on WWE Network

The NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable live special on the WWE Network is 8 p.m. EST Wednesday, May 20 from Full Sail Live at Full Sail University in Winter Park, near Orlando.

NXT tag team champs Blake and Murphy battle Enzo Amore and Big Cass Colin Cassidy with Carmella.

The main event is a rematch of the prior NXT TakeOver live special with NXT champ Kevin Owens against Sami Zayn.

The NXT women’s title is also on the line as The Boss Sasha Banks defends the title against Becky Lynch.

Finn Bálor vs. Hideo Itami vs. Tyler Breeze in an NXT Championship No.1 Contender's Triple Threat Match.

Bayley and Charlotte team against Emma and Dana Brooke.

Also, Rhyno vs. Baron Corbin.

NXT on WWE Network

Catch NXT on WWE Network 8 p.m. EST Wednesdays and on-demand.

NXT on tour

Visit NXTTouring

NXT on NXT

Visit http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt for everything NXT and tour dates.

NXT in Fort Pierce

NXT returns to Fort Pierce at the Havert L. Fenn Center on June 5.

Tickets $10, $20. There will be a meet-n-greet before the show, which is included in the ticket price. First come, first served.

Socially acceptable

Enzo Amore @WWEAaLLday21

Colin Cassady @BigCassWWE

@WWEPerformanceCtr

@WWENXT

#NXT

#NXTUniverse

Pro Wrestling On the Web

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/fighting/

@jimmyv3

YouTube jim varsallone (jimmyv3 channel)

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