Brock Lesnar has established himself as a dominant force in WWE, especially at the Royal Rumble event, where he holds notable victories, including his 2022 win that improved his Rumble record to 2-4. While Enzo Amore has never claimed victory in the 30-man Royal Rumble, he experienced a significant moment backstage that added a unique chapter to his career at the 2017 event.
The 30th annual Royal Rumble took place on January 29, 2017, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, attracting an audience of over 50,000 fans. The event saw Randy Orton triumph in the 30-man main event by last eliminating Roman Reigns, a victory that set the stage for Orton’s WWE Championship match against Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 33.
Enzo Amore and Big Cass’s Royal Rumble Experience in Texas
Enzo Amore and Big Cass participated in their only traditional Royal Rumble match at this event. Big Cass, now known as Big Bill in AEW, entered as the match’s first competitor and was eliminated early by Braun Strowman without scoring any eliminations. Enzo Amore came in near the end as the 27th entrant but was swiftly eliminated by Brock Lesnar after just 18 seconds, also failing to eliminate any opponents.
Brock Lesnar entered as the 26th participant and was eliminated a few minutes later by Bill Goldberg, who joined at number 28. Lesnar managed to eliminate three wrestlers during the match: Enzo Amore, Dolph Ziggler, and Dean Ambrose. The interaction between Enzo and Brock began when Amore confronted Lesnar on the ring apron, leading to a memorable staredown between the two.
Enzo’s Locker Room Encounter with Brock Lesnar Before the Match
Before competing in the Royal Rumble, Enzo Amore approached Brock Lesnar backstage to propose an idea for their in-ring interaction during the match. Speaking to Inside The Ropes magazine, Amore outlined how he believed he could have won the Rumble if not for Lesnar’s involvement, describing his relaxed attitude at pick 20 and his prepared appearance with a unique outfit and hairstyle.
“But if it weren’t for Brock Lesnar, I would have won the Royal Rumble. That’s a fact, f**k what anybody says. I don’t want to exactly mention what I was doing at pick #20, but let’s just say I knew that I basically had the night off. I had a cool outfit, my hair was done pretty good by the ladies backstage, I had some braids in there. Big Cass came out at #1, but the best part about that is when you come out at #1, the promo is just, ‘My name is, his name is, you’re S-A-W-F-T, SAWFT!’ There is no in between, so I don’t have to think, like, I don’t have to come up with nothing. It’s just the same s**t, and now I’m hanging out in the back, and I’m not doing s**t,”
—Enzo Amore, Professional Wrestler
Backstage Meeting and Role Assignments at the Royal Rumble
On the night of the Royal Rumble, a pre-match meeting was held with nearly 70 WWE talents present. While Brock Lesnar, Bill Goldberg, and The Undertaker were absent from this gathering, several key officials and producers, including Michael Hayes, Jamie Noble, and Joey Mercury, distributed the match order. Enzo described the tense atmosphere as wrestlers awaited their announced spots without prior knowledge of the lineup.
“We’re getting the order for The Rumble, and none of us know who’s in it, so you don’t know if you’re going in which is a sad day for some of the boys. You go to The Rumble, you’re flown in to be there, you’re going to get paid to be there, but you’re not in The Rumble, so you’re not working that day,”
—Enzo Amore, Professional Wrestler
During the meeting, Enzo had been pitching a concept where either he or Big Cass would enter first, allowing them to perform their highly recognized entrance. Ultimately, Big Cass secured the number one spot, while Enzo initially believed he wouldn’t be included at all. However, when the roster reached the 26th entrant, Brock Lesnar’s name was called followed immediately by Enzo’s, eliciting a strong reaction from those present. Jamie Noble’s remark of “Whatever happens happens” set the tone for the unpredictable sequence.
“So, they put Cass in at #1, and I thought I was done. I thought I wasn’t going to be in the Royal Rumble, you know what I mean? Like, Cass comes out at #1, they only got 30 spots… well, they go to #26 [in the meeting], they’re announcing all the business as they’re going through it, and they get to #26, and they go, ‘Brock Lesnar comes out… Suplex City, everyone’s down. Enzo comes out…’ Everybody popped in the room, huge pop, and then Jamie Noble, at the time said, ‘Whatever happens happens’ Goldberg! So, like… I mean, you went Brock, Enzo, Goldberg, and the response was, ‘Whatever happens happens,’”
—Enzo Amore, Professional Wrestler
Enzo’s Decision to Speak with Brock Lesnar During the Event
As the Royal Rumble progressed and Enzo had not yet connected with Lesnar, he decided to find him around the twentieth entrant, after a conversation with fellow wrestler R-Truth. Despite having completed his initial segment with Big Cass, Enzo was uncertain about how his part with Lesnar would unfold, prompting him to take the initiative to approach the dominant competitor backstage.
“Well, I haven’t seen Brock Lesnar all day, and we’re about 20 people into the [actual] Rumble. So, 20 people in, I’ve already done my ‘number one’ thing with Cass, and um… I was f**king around. I was like, hanging out in catering, making jokes, and talking to people or something, being a d**khead, and I’ll never forget… I was talking to one of my buddies, R-Truth, and I was like, ‘Yo Truth, bro, dude… should I go talk to Brock? We’re at like pick #20, and I haven’t talked to him, and I don’t know what’s going to happen.’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah… you should go talk to him, and I was like, ‘Yeah… I gotta go, bro,’”
—Enzo Amore, Professional Wrestler
Inside the Locker Room: Enzo’s Nerve-Wracking Pitch to Brock Lesnar
Enzo Amore recounts the moment he knocked on Brock Lesnar’s private locker room door, where along with Lesnar, Paul Heyman and a trainer named Larry were present. Overcoming anxiety, Enzo pitched his idea of jumping on the ring apron to mimic Lesnar’s signature move before charging at him in the ring, leaving the outcome uncertain.
“Now all of a sudden I got anxiety. Like, cool, wait… you’re about to go out to The Rumble.’ And I went, and Brock had a private locker room with a guy named Larry, who was a trainer, and Paul Heyman was in there. So, Larry was probably stretching Brock, and I knocked on the door. Nerve-wracking. I’m in my Enzo outfit looking like a d**khead. I knock on the door, and they open the door, and I just… I don’t know what came over me, I just looked at Brock and I said, ‘Hey, man… I figured I’d jump on the apron like you do, or at least I’ll attempt to, and then I’ll get in the ring and I’ll just run at you as fast as I can, and whatever happens happens,’”
—Enzo Amore, Professional Wrestler
He continued explaining the reaction he received from Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar during that tense moment.
I promise you I said this… Paul Heyman looked at me like I was crazy but with a glee. Paul Heyman was ‘gleeing’ when I did this, and Brock Lesnar just looked at me and went ‘HA!’ [Enzo extends hand]. I was like… [motions to shake hand] shook his hand, got out of there, had no idea if when I got into the ring and ran at him if I was going to get suplexed 30 times or just… I didn’t know what would happen, right? Maybe he lets me hang out in there, maybe I’m in The Rumble now [laughs]. But bro, I went in, I ran at him, he took my head off, and he threw me right out. I was like, ‘Thanks, bro. What an easy night at the office, and what a brother, I guess.’ Brock brother’d me, he could have taken me to Suplex City. Maybe he just thought like, ‘Why the f**k would I do that to him?,’
—Enzo Amore, Professional Wrestler
The Significance of Enzo’s Royal Rumble Interaction with Lesnar
Enzo Amore’s backstage encounter with Brock Lesnar highlights the intricate planning and spontaneous creativity that take place behind the scenes at WWE events. His bold approach to Lesnar not only resulted in a memorable in-ring moment but also reflected the tension and unpredictability that define the Royal Rumble match.
This interaction showcases the respect and camaraderie that can exist even between wrestlers when the stakes are intense. Enzo’s willingness to take a risk and Lesnar’s humorous response symbolize the balance of fear and playfulness in professional wrestling’s most dramatic contests.
Looking ahead, stories like this deepen fans’ understanding of the complex dynamics backstage and contribute to the ongoing fascination with WWE’s flagship events. The Brock Lesnar Royal Rumble encounter remains a notable example of how moments away from the camera help shape the narratives seen inside the ring.
