Enzo Amore Eric Arndt ( December 8 , 1986 ) is an American professional wrestler . He is signed to WWE , where he performs under the ring name Enzo Amore . Early life . Arndt was born in Hackensack , New Jersey but grew up in Waldwick , New Jersey . There , he attended Memorial Elementary School and Waldwick High School , where he also played football . Arndt continued his football career at Division III ( NCAA ) Salisbury University , playing linebacker and safety for the Sea Gulls from 2007 - 2009 . Arndt ultimately earned a degree in journalism . He formerly worked as a disc jockey for the New York Jets , a piano mover , and a manager at Hooters . Professional wrestling career . WWE . NXT ( 2012 – 2016 ) . Arndt had no prior wrestling experience before WWE signed him . He had trained with Joe DeFranco at the DeFranco ' s Training Systems gym in Wyckoff , New Jersey since the age of 14 . By chance , WWE executive Triple H also started training with DeFranco ; Arndt , a lifelong fan of professional wrestling , made a compilation video of himself doing various exercises and cutting a promo . When DeFranco showed the video to Triple H , Arndt was given a tryout at WWE , ultimately resulting in his signing . In August 2012 , WWE was noted to have signed Arndt , then under the ring name Eric Anthony . He was listed as a wrestler by the ring name of Enzo Amore within WWE ' s developmental system NXT by November 2012 . Amore made his NXT television debut , being described as a " stereotypical cocky , Jersey Shore loudmouth " and an " outsized version of the man playing the part " , on May 22 , 2013 , where he was quickly defeated by Mason Ryan . Amore went on to form an alliance with Colin Cassady , who had also previously lost to Ryan , and they labelled themselves " the realest guys in the room " . In real life , Arndt ( Amore ) first met Bill Morrissey ( Cassady ) when Morrissey was 15 , when they played basketball together at the Cage of Manhattan , New York nearly 10 years before reuniting on NXT in August 2013 . Despite Amore and Cassady ' s alliance , Ryan easily defeated them in consecutive singles matches in July , but lost to them in a handicap match . Ryan ultimately had the last laugh when he caused Amore and Cassady to be attacked by Tons of Funk . After the feud with Ryan , Amore and Cassady went on to feud with Alexander Rusev , Sylvester Lefort and Scott Dawson . On September 25 episode of " NXT " , Amore and Cassady participated in a gauntlet match for a future shot at the NXT Tag Team Championship ; they started the match , first defeating C . J . Parker and Tyler Breeze , then beating Rusev and Dawson , but fell to their final opponents , the Ascension . In November 2013 , Amore suffered a broken leg while training . Amore returned on June 26 , 2014 episode of " NXT " , saving Cassady from an attack from Sylvester Lefort and Marcus Louis . In early August , Amore and Cassady participated in the NXT Tag Team Championship tournament . They defeated Jason Jordan and Tye Dillinger in the first round but were eliminated by the Vaudevillains ( Aiden English and Simon Gotch ) in the second round . Lefort and Louis then renewed their rivalry with Amore and Cassady by attacking them and shaving Amore ' s beard . As a result , Amore challenged Lefort to a match with the loser ' s hair as forfeit at . Amore proceeded to win the match but Lefort ran away , leaving his partner , Louis , to lose his hair and eyebrows at the hands of Amore and Cassady . Amore and Cassady formed an alliance with the debuting Carmella . The duo had accidentally cost Carmella her hairdressing job as per the storyline , causing her to demand to get a job as a wrestler . Carmella had her televised in - ring debut on the October 16 , 2014 episode of " NXT " . Among the trainers at NXT , Amore singled out Bill DeMott and Dusty Rhodes as being instrumental in his training and promos respectively . In March 2015 , Amore and Cassady began a rivalry with NXT Tag Team Champions Blake and Murphy , with the champions insulting Amore and Cassady while attempting to woo Carmella . On the March 11 episode of " NXT " , Amore and Cassady defeated The Lucha Dragons in a number one contender ' s match for a title opportunity against Blake and Murphy . Amore and Cassady received their title match at , which they would lose after Alexa Bliss interfered . At , Enzo and Cass challenged Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson for the NXT Tag Team Championship in a losing effort . Enzo and Cass again challenged Wilder and Dawson for the titles at WWE Roadblock . Main roster ( 2016 – present ) . On the April 4th episode of " Raw " ( which took place the night after WrestleMania 32 ) , Amore and Cassady made their main roster debuts and confronted The Dudley Boyz . Next , they took part in a WWE Tag Team Championship # 1 Contender ' s Tournament , defeating The Ascension and The Dudleys . They would meet fellow NXT Tag Team The Vaudevillains at WWE Payback . Personal life . Arndt is currently in a relationship with a fellow professional wrestler Gionna Daddio .