When it comes to addiction, wrestling has seen more negative stories than positive ones. Fortunately, AEW's Big Bill can count himself among those who've had their arm raised in their battle with alcoholism.Bill got his big break before the problem was fully recognized, however, thanks in part to a natural chemistry with Enzo Amore. On "Talk is Jericho,"Bill said down with his Learning Tree stablemate to reflect on why the pair clicked as a team from the start.
Advertisement
"We knew each other briefly from back in the day,"Bill said. "From New York, just playing basketball, pre-wrestling ... When he came into the tryout, it took me a little while to connect those dots. But when they hired him, he came in, we did promos together, and we started hanging out."
The man formerly known as Big Cass said he and Enzo bonded over growing up in the same region, plus having a similar sense of humor. Dusty Rhodes, who coached the duo in WWE's developmental promotion Florida Championship Wrestling, apparently thought their promo skills outshined any rough edges in the ring. Bill remembered he and Enzo excelling in Dusty's "promo class," sometimes practicing into the wee hours of the morning the night before.
Advertisement
"We wanted to go in with perfection,"Bill said."We're working on them endlessly. And we go in, every Wednesday, and crushed. ... then we moved to Orlando, and we finally get a break on TV in 'NXT,' and that was it."
Enzo Amore was released from WWE in January 2018 due to allegations of sexual assault and a history of being difficult to work with. Big Bill/Cass was released six months later, hitting a personal bottom but eventually getting sober. He signed with AEW in August 2022.
