WWE Greatest Royal Rumble Wrestlers - Where Are They Now?
2. Big Cass
Entry: #49
Time: 07:23
Then: WWE bosses had high, high hopes for Big Cass when he split from ex-partner Enzo Amore in the summer of 2017. An ACL injury curtailed his push, but that was fine and dandy - the writers were going to give 'Cass: Main Eventer' another bash when he returned from a layoff. That happened in mid-April 2018, and Cass was programmed opposite the returning Daniel Bryan.
What a spot.
Come the GRR, it was Cass who foiled Bryan again by ending the workhorse's amazing/exhausting 1:16:05 run in the match. He then lasted until right near the end when eventual winner Braun Strowman rolled him out of the ring for the victory. A loss to Daniel followed at Backlash, then things went terribly wrong behind the scenes.
Now: Cass became a weekly headache for top brass, so much so that they released him from his contract on 19 June 2018. His push had ended in the blink of an eye, and Vince McMahon had grown weary of hearing reports about his erratic behaviour out on the road. Since then, Cass has taken ownership of his antics and refuses to blame WWE for their part in things.
He was struggling with substance abuse, depression and anxiety.
Thankfully, Cass (as Big Bill) has been able to kick out of his troubles and looks happy, healthy and motivated nowadays. He's worked hard to get back on track, and has had a lot of good moments in both TNA and AEW. Privately, his old WWE enemy Bryan Danielson must be chuffed to see Bill pull the nose up on a career that was going off the rails.