10 Things That Made Us Embarrassed To Be Wrestling Fans In 2017

5. Shark Bait

Enzo Amore Big Cass SummerSlam
WWE.com

The curious case of Enzo Amore in 2017 hasn't completely mirrored Benjamin Button's reverse journey from aged youth through to mid-life bombast and youthful death, but the 'Smacktalker Skywalker' has somehow become born again on walking corpse show 205 Live.

Literally the only relatable persona amongst the Cruiserweights following his 'demotion' to the brand, Enzo's trick was to use the vehicle to remind management why he was given opportunities in the first place. Confident, quick-witted and (for better or worse) real, Amore belongs under some form of spotlight, even if it's got a purple haze.

He deserves particular credit for rebounding from some of the worst on-screen bullying ever dished out to a character by WWE creative at its cynical worst.

Split from partner Big Cass to facilitate the 7-footer's ascension in the company, Enzo was almost fatally wounded by the severance. He was made to look foolish at every turn, with the company also disarming any semblance of sympathy via his promos and actions. The nadir of a rotten angle came in one the year's very worst matches.

Just 24 hours before Cass sustained an injury that thankfully allowed most to forget about this contest, he defeated The Big Show with Amore suspended in shark cage. Enzo literally greased his way out of WWE's latest favourite prop, stripping to his undies before dropping right into the path of a mammoth big boot. He was perhaps the least embarrassed man in the building.

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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett