Ex-WWE Star Enzo Amore Recalls Getting First Big WWE Break Thanks To John Cena

Amongst a competitive developmental class with the likes of Charlotte Flair, Baron Corbin, and Mojo Rawley, Enzo Amore managed to stand out, especially from the perspective of one of WWE's all-time greats. During an interview with Emilio Sparks, Amore explained how that great — decorated world champion John Cena — then significantly contributed to his first big break in "WWE NXT."

"I get to the ring. I do the job," Amore recalled. "When I get out of the ring, Bill DeMott buries me. I'm like, 'Oh s***.' I got my head down. I'm walking out and Rob Naylor goes, 'Enzo, John Cena wants to see you.' I'm like, 'What?' I'm running through the parking lot. I get there and all the boys are kind of looking at me when I come in and they all clap for me. I'm like 'What the f*** is happening right now?' John Cena calls me over to him like this and he goes 'I've been here for three hours and I want you to know you're the only thing that's caught my attention all day. So would you like to come to the ring with me in the dark segment?'"

Amore immediately accepted Cena's offer to collaborate on a dark segment. In the same moment, Amore surprised himself by blurting out the name of his Big Cass (also known as Big Bill), who served as an unofficial mentor during Amore's early WWE days. To Cena, though, Amore claimed Cass was his seven-foot-tall tag team partner. With the approval of Cena and WWE executive Paul "Triple H" Levesque, Cass then joined them for the aforementioned spot.

According to Amore, he and Cass became fast friends at the WWE Performance Center, with Cass teaching Amore, who had joined WWE with no prior wrestling experience, about everything from in-ring skills to talking psychology. Eventually, they became legitimate tag team partners as well.

With Big Cass by his side on that day, Amore cut a successful promo on Cena during the dark show segment. To set up his "SAWFT" catchphrase, Amore initially asked Cena about the amount of dimples on a golf ball. The rising star then claimed that, unlike a golf ball, he was hard-bodied. Cena, on the other hand, was soft, or in Amore's words, "S-A-W-F-T."

Amore's promo proved to be a hit as the crowd echoed his catchphrase. Furthermore, it secured him a televised squash match on "NXT" shortly after.

"I was [Dusty Rhodes'] best promo in promo class and you have to be so good they can't ignore you. That's all my s*** was every single week," Amore said. "Then John Cena got me and Cass over, gave us the rub. 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 just couldn't wait to get rid of me."

Four years into his run, Amore ascended to WWE's main roster alongside Cass in the summer of 2016. In a full-circle moment, the pair even teamed with Cena in a six-man tag bout at WWE Battleground that July.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Emilio Sparks with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.