Wrestling is a business built on spectacle, but the most enduring stories are not about moves or titles—they’re about survival. Few modern wrestlers embody that truth like William Morrissey, better known today as Big Bill in All Elite Wrestling. From his breakout run alongside Enzo Amore in WWE to near-tragedy on the independent circuit, Morrissey’s path has been anything but linear. He is a story of promise derailed, demons confronted, and a man who fought his way back into the spotlight by sheer will.
Queens Beginnings
Born in Queens, New York, on August 16, 1986, Morrissey was a towering presence even before wrestling entered his life. A standout at Archbishop Molloy High School, he excelled in basketball, earning a spot at New York University on scholarship. At NYU he played center for the Violets and co-captained the team, but his ambitions stretched beyond sports. Initially pre-med, he shifted to economics and even started a ticket brokerage business for events at Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium.
But behind the economics degree and basketball sneakers, Morrissey harbored a love for pro wrestling. He trained under the legendary Johnny Rodz in Brooklyn, debuting in 2009. At 6-foot-10 with charisma and athleticism, he was destined to draw attention. WWE signed him in 2011.
“The Realest Guys in the Room”
Morrissey, rechristened Colin Cassady, first found footing in WWE’s developmental system, but his career didn’t ignite until fate paired him with a brash Jersey native: Eric Arndt, a.k.a. Enzo Amore. The odd couple became magic on NXT television. Enzo ran his mouth; Cassady backed it up with size and power. Together, they became “the realest guys in the room.”
In 2015, they were named NXT Tag Team of the Year, though championship gold always eluded them. Still, their catchphrases—“S-A-W-F-T, SAWFT!”—made them fan favorites. When they debuted on the main roster the night after WrestleMania 32, the Raw crowd roared like they were conquering heroes.
From matches against The Dudley Boyz to six-man battles with John Cena against The Club, Enzo and Cass were fixtures of WWE’s tag scene. Morrissey, renamed Big Cass, even got a taste of singles glory: competing in a four-way for the inaugural Universal Championship. But by 2017, cracks began to show. The partnership ended in a heel turn, followed by a feud with Enzo and Big Show.
Then came the injury. A torn ACL in August 2017 sidelined Cass for nearly a year. He returned in 2018, feuding with Daniel Bryan, but the momentum was gone. In June, WWE released him. Officially, the reasons cited included “behavioral issues.” Unofficially, Morrissey later admitted the truth was darker: alcohol abuse, depression, and anxiety.
Rock Bottom and the Long Road Back
The post-WWE years were brutal. Morrissey, now wrestling as Big Cazz or CaZXL, struggled on the independents. In December 2018, at a House of Hardcore show, he suffered a seizure at his merch table, a terrifying moment that underscored how far he had fallen. His former colleagues Tommy Dreamer and Bubba Ray Dudley rushed to his side. The scare became a wake-up call.
Morrissey sought help, entering sobriety with guidance from Diamond Dallas Page, whose DDP Yoga program has saved multiple wrestlers. With Page’s mentorship, Morrissey began not only repairing his health but also rediscovering his passion for life. “I was broken,” he later admitted, “but I wasn’t done.”
Rebuilding in Impact Wrestling
In 2021, Morrissey resurfaced in Impact Wrestling under the name W. Morrissey. Leaner, sharper, and with a chip on his shoulder, he immediately made an impression at Rebellion, teaming with Violent By Design for a victory. From feuds with Willie Mack and Rich Swann to slugfests with Eddie Edwards, Morrissey proved he was more than a cautionary tale.
Impact gave him the platform to tell his story—on and off camera. As he battled Moose for the world title, fans could sense it wasn’t just about wins and losses. It was about proving to himself, and to an industry that had written him off, that he still belonged.
Big Bill in AEW
On May 4, 2022, Morrissey walked into AEW Dynamite as a one-off opponent for Wardlow. The reaction from fans—respectful, almost relieved—signaled something. Here was a man who had endured the fire and come out stronger. By that summer, he was officially signed.
Now billed as Big Bill, Morrissey embraced his size and presence with new confidence. He joined The Firm under Stokely Hathaway, then later aligned with Ricky Starks, forming a tag team that quickly clicked. Their biggest triumph came on October 7, 2023, when they dethroned FTR to win the AEW World Tag Team Championship. It was Morrissey’s first major title in a career spanning over a decade.
Though they dropped the belts to Sting and Darby Allin after 123 days, the reign mattered less than the redemption it symbolized. This was Big Bill, not as a punchline or “what if,” but as a legitimate champion.
By 2024, he found himself in Chris Jericho’s Learning Tree faction, dubbed “The Redwood.” While short-lived, it added another chapter to his evolving identity. Even after Jericho turned on him, Morrissey—alongside Bryan Keith—proved his resilience, picking up big wins on AEW’s Collision.
Personal Redemption
Outside the ring, Morrissey’s life has stabilized. Once tabloid fodder for his breakup with Carmella and his 2019 backstage fight with Joey Janela, Morrissey has found peace. Since 2021, he’s been in a relationship with AEW interviewer Lexy Nair, daughter of DDP. The couple married in Mexico in December 2024, a symbolic full-circle moment considering DDP’s role in saving his life.
Legacy of Survival
William Morrissey’s career is proof that redemption arcs aren’t just storylines—they’re lived. From the sold-out roars of WrestleMania to the silent terror of seizures and hospital visits, he has seen both sides of fame.
Now in his late 30s, Morrissey isn’t chasing ghosts anymore. He’s carving out his lane as Big Bill—a giant with presence, charisma, and the scars to prove he’s earned every step. Fans cheer not just for the character, but for the man who survived himself.
“I should be dead,” Morrissey once confessed in an interview. “But I’m not. I’m here. And I’m not done yet.”
That’s the essence of Big Bill: not the titles, not the gimmicks, but the fight. The fight to get up when life tried to keep him down. The fight to turn a cautionary tale into a comeback story.
And in pro wrestling, comebacks are what legends are made of.