After losing to AEW in the Wednesday Night War, WWE’s “third brand”, NXT, underwent a revamp, and on Tuesday, they debuted NXT 2.0. The rebranding saw WWE update NXT’s logo, colors, and set. The show also went younger and many new wrestlers debuted.
One rookie grappler had a vignette drop to introduce his character and it likely gave many hockey fans across North America a wry smile.
The wrestler is an Italian wannabe with apparent family connections to the mob. His name is Tony D’Angelo. And you guys, he’s kind of an ass.
“I was born and raised in the streets of Chicago,” WWE Tony said. “I come from a long line of businessmen. See my family has interests in waste management, the fish market, the meat market… you name it. But I found success in my own way.” Uh, ok.
If D’Angelo’s name sounds familiar, that’s because it is. WWE Tony’s name is only a few characters different than Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo. The biggest difference between NHL Tony and WWE Tony is that NHL Tony isn’t paid to act like an ass, he just appears to be one naturally.
NHL Tony has grown infamous over the years for his “political” views that include downplaying the seriousness of the novel coronavirus and questioning the legitimacy of the most recent Presidential election.
a lil celebratory compilation dedicated to mr tony deangelo for staying true to himself and deactivating today 🥰 pic.twitter.com/h3d294eYkV
— clarissa! (@quinnsedgework) January 9, 2021
NHL Tony has also been suspended for verbal abuse of officials and teammates. He also reportedly got involved in an altercation with goaltender Alexander Georgiev. That led to NHL Tony being punched by a teammate which led to his release from the New York Rangers.
Anyways, we hope that WWE Tony have a prosperous and great professional wrestling career, causing insurrection only in the backstage areas of RAW or Smackdown. And if he doesn’t get over with fans, maybe WWE can hire NHL Tony, because he’s already got the heel thing down.
— RMNB (@russianmachine) September 16, 2021
Photo: WWE NXT
