Enzo Amore thought he was making a good joke.
In 2012, Enzo Amore was signed by WWE despite having no prior wrestling experience. Enzo put together a promo compilation video for Triple H, which earned him a job. When he joined WWE, Enzo wasn't sure he would be sticking around for long. Especially when it took him months to get a wrestling name.
"I was told I was gonna be fired so I didn't think I was ever going to get a name. Mojo (Rawley) got a name two weeks in, Baron Corbin got a name three weeks in, Charlotte gets a name four weeks later. I get a name seven months later," Enzo told Chris Jericho on the latest Talk is Jericho podcast.
Big Cass, who joined FCW (NXT) in 2011, revealed he didn't know what name Enzo was going to use, but followed up on the story, discussing the names Enzo pitched to WWE.
"When you first get there, you have to suggest 10 names that you like," said Cass. "He was always known as EA All Day. All of the names he suggested had a first name E, last name A. The best one, by far, was Esteban Apples. He put ten names with EA. His 11th name was Canyon Ceman. Canyon Ceman was the head of talent development at that point for NXT. The only name that wasn't EA was Canyon Ceman, the guys name who was pretty much our boss."
Canyon Ceman was hired by WWE as Senior Director of Talent Development in 2012, roughly five months before Enzo was hired.
"Of course," Enzo said when asked if he knew about Ceman and his role. "It was a joke. They told me I needed to submit a name that didn't have EA. So I submitted nine names with EA and one name that was Canyon Ceman. When I submitted the name, I thought it would be funny."
Enzo revealed he got heat for the joke while Jericho added Canyon Ceman is "the worst name ever."
Enzo went on to say he pitched the name "Enzo Amore" for months as in his mind, it meant "One Love," and as a Bob Marley fan and a pothead, the name connected with him.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit Talk is Jericho with a h/t to Fightful for the transcription.
