Enzo Amore has been suspended by World Wrestling Entertainment after allegations emerged that he raped a woman in a hotel room.
The WWE wrestler, real name Eric Arndt, is the company's current Cruiserweight Championship holder, having won the title twice since being promoted to WWE's Monday Night Raw show in 2016.
The allegations were made on Monday night by a woman named Philomena on Twitter. The woman claimed that Arndt sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in Phoenix, Arizona in mid-October of last year. She asked that her surname be withheld.
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According to Buzzfeed News, a spokesperson for the Phoenix Police Department confirmed that a report has been filed and the case is under investigation.
"On Monday, October 23, 2017, at around 2:30pm, Phoenix Police responded to a local hospital for a call of a sexual assault that had reportedly occurred on October 19, 2017 at 401 West Clarendon Avenue. This case is under investigation," the report said.
Arndt first broke into professional wrestling after he was signed by WWE in August 2012 despite having no prior wrestling experience. He later took the ring name Enzo Amore after debuting through WWE's developmental brand, NXT, in November that year.
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Arndt quickly established himself as a future star as part of a tag-team partnership with Big Cass (real name Colin Cassady). He and Cass were later drafted to Raw in 2016 and he made his debut in the cruiserweight division in August 2017.
WWE released a statement regarding Arndt's suspension just hours before he was set to take part in the 25th anniversary edition of Monday Night Raw. The company celebrated the anniversary with a simulcast show at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn and the home of the first ever Raw, the Manhattan Center.
"WWE has zero tolerance for matters involving sexual harassment or sexual assault. Until this matter is resolved, Eric Arndt (aka Enzo Amore) has been suspended," the company said.
More to follow...
Topics: News, Sexual Assault, US News, WWE, US Entertainment