Examining Enzo Amore's Direction, Upside and Long-Term Potential

If electricity took a human form, it would look like Enzo Amore.

WWE has a special talent at its disposal in the man who calls himself "The Michael Jordan of Jargon." Amore is a hugely charismatic and compellingly unique performer, a master trash-talker whose big mouth may allow him to overcome being undersized.

When a wave of NXT talent crashed on WWE's shores right after WrestleMania, Amore and his powerhouse partner, Colin Cassady stood out. That was no surprise. They have been doing that since they began their tenures at WWE's developmental brand.

And the company seems to recognize that it has a star in the making in Amore. 

Right away, he and Big Cass stepped up to The Dudley Boyz, announcing their arrival via insulting the future Hall of Famers. The duo of newcomers has looked like an immediate threat, too.

Amore and Cassady have won all three of their matches since moving to the main roster. They are now set to battle for the tag team title No. 1 contender's spot at Payback against The Vaudevillains. 

Along the way, WWE has offered Amore ample promo time. The audience is getting plenty of chances to soak up just who this oddball character is and hear him rock the mic. All of that is the right strategy.

Next up, he and Big Cass need a real sustained, intense rivalry.

That will allow Amore to shine in the back-and-forth verbal battles sure to come. It will also allow him to bang heads in the ring, to test his resolve and provide memories between the ropes. Finding the right foil will be the first key step in maximizing the high-voltage energy that Amore possesses. 

Strengths

In the ESPN E:60 special on NXT, Triple H said, "The biggest factor in making it in the WWE is charisma." In that case, Amore is assured of success thanks to his elite-level charisma.

When Amore saunters down the entrance ramp, he forces the audience to pay attention. He exudes energy. His off-kilter fashion sense, comic timing and array of memorable one-liners make for a one-of-a-kind package one can't look away from.

Former WWE and TNA writer, Vince Russo wrote on The Brand about seeing Amore and Cassady for the first time, "I immediately knew—these guys were superstars."

And Amore spits out catchphrases with ease, so many of his lines hitting the mark. He's a top-notch talker who can switch from ridiculous to furious when necessary.

Those skills have led to fans latching onto him early. While Apollo Crews is still trying to get WWE crowds behind him, Amore won over the WWE Universe from the get-go. Sean Ross Sapp of Wrestling Inc. commented on Big Cass and Amore's connection with the crowd:

All the personality elements are there for Amore to be on the marquee. It's the physical side of his game that threatens to hold him back.

Obstacles

Amore is limited in the ring. He's not going to carry a bout. He mostly plays the Ricky Morton part in that he takes a beating for the majority of the action before Big Cass storms in. 

He's athletic, but not special in that department. He's fun to watch because of his personality, but he won't wow fans with classic bouts a la Kevin Owens.

The Smack-talker Skywalker will have to lean on Cassady or other partners; Amore is not built for singles action.

And at 5'11, 200 pounds, it's hard to buy him as a formidable force. Even a similarly sized guy like Daniel Bryan looks more intimidating. WWE may just feel that Amore doesn't look the part.

Veteran pro wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer had concerns about that very issue back in 2013:

Amore has since improved as a performer, producing some solid work against The Revival for example, but Meltzer's words still ring true. Amore's build fits more of a managerial role. That's doubly true considering how much better he is at verbal collisions than physicality. 

Long-Term Potential

The New Jersey native's ceiling is dependent on what path WWE sets for him.

As a wrestler, his best bet is as a tag team specialist. With Big Cass at his side and the right opponents opposite him, he could be a key component of the tag division for the next few years, crafting highly entertaining feuds in the process. A few runs as tag champ is easy to imagine.

Sliding him to slot at ringside, though, will allow Amore to reach his full potential.

As a manager and a mouthpiece, Amore would put together a Hall of Fame career. His combination of charisma and verbal acumen will make him one of the best talkers ever. He's a rare talent, and there is not a bunch of competition in the manager ranks.

Outside of Paul Heyman, WWE hasn't seen an all-time great manager in years. That's exactly what Amore would become if asked to play that role. 

He has too much spark and too much fire shooting from his mouth to be less than spectacular. 

Be sure to check out previous editions of this ongoing series:

• Aiden English
• Bray Wyatt
• Zack Ryder
• Becky Lynch