From the WWE Rumor Mill: Update on Enzo Amore's backstage heat

What's the story?

Reports have been flying around over the past few weeks regarding Enzo Amore and the backstage heat he has accrued. Dave Meltzer has reported that things have gotten worse over the last two weeks, going so far as to say that 'everyone hates Enzo'.

In case you didn't know...

It has been a rough couple of months for Smacktalker Skywalker. The team of Enzo and Big Cass split up on the June 19 episode of RAW, when it was revealed that Cass had been responsible for the sneak attacks on Enzo Amore over the weeks prior.

Since then the two former partners have been feuding, and the interest of the crowd has waned considerably. Enzo's diminishing popularity has come alongside reports of him being intensely disliked backstage, due to a seeming lack of respect for the locker room and a number of misdemeanours.

The heart of the matter

On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez discussed the trainwreck that was the Enzo and Big Cass situation. Cass went one-on-one with Big Show at SummerSlam, with Enzo suspended above the ring in a shark cage.

Enzo managed to escape the cage (via lube) only to get booted into the next eclipse by Cass, who subsequently picked up the win over Big Show. Meltzer stated that Enzo's backstage status has never been worse, and his diminishing popularity with the crowd is only going to make matters worse.

Meltzer also drew attention to the treatment given to Enzo by Booker T during the pay-per-view. The babyface announcer was particularly scathing in his attacks on Enzo, going out of his way on a number of occasions to castigate the Certified G. The chances are this wasn't an accident.

What's next?

There has been talk of moving Enzo Amore back to NXT or even to 205 Live in order to sell tickets, and it is difficult to see any other alternative that involves the Michael Jordan of Jargon staying in the company. Being at odds with the entire locker room does not bode well for Amore.

A 'demotion' to NXT seems likely, although the developmental brand is a much different place to the one Enzo and Cass left behind following WrestleMania 33.

Author's take

This time last year, Enzo and Big Cass were riding a genuine wave of momentum. They had been involved in the much-vaunted AJ Styles/John Cena feud, and the duo seemed more at home on the main roster than NXT.

It has all gone wrong for Enzo since, and only the most optimistic of fans can see a long-term future in WWE for the Realest Guy in the Room.

---

Send us news tips at [email protected]