ZZ Loupe Reveals Why He Was Targeted at WWE’s Performance Center During ‘Tough Enough’

Season six of Tough Enough made its comeback in June 2015 after a four-year break, with Chris Jericho hosting and Bryan Danielson (known as Daniel Bryan in WWE), Saraya (formerly Paige), The Miz, and Hulk Hogan serving as judges. Coaching duties were handled by Billy Gunn, Booker T, and Lita. One of the breakout stars of the season was Zamariah “ZZ” Loupe, who charmed audiences with his personality but faced unique challenges during his time at the WWE Performance Center.

During an interview with Bryan Asbury on Developmentally Speaking, ZZ explained why he felt targeted from day one. “When I first got to the WWE Performance Center, the day I walked in for the mini-camp before Tough Enough began, I had a target plastered on my back. Straight out of the gate,” he shared.

The Louisiana native’s upbeat demeanor raised eyebrows, especially given the timing of his arrival. “I didn’t know who Dusty Rhodes was, but apparently, the day that I got to the WWE Performance Center for the mini-camp tryout before Tough Enough aired, Dusty Rhodes went to the hospital, and he passed away while I was in the mini-camp,” ZZ recalled.

Many at the Performance Center mistook ZZ’s personality as an attempt to mimic Dusty Rhodes, who was beloved for his fun-loving, Southern charm. “Here I came, the day Dusty Rhodes passed, smiling and happy, and I have a little bit of an accent. People didn’t realize that I didn’t have a clue who he was when I got there, and I wasn’t trying to replicate anyone,” ZZ explained.

It took months for others to realize that his personality was genuine and not a gimmick inspired by the late WWE legend. “What I learned through Dusty, even though I never got the chance to meet him, [was that] if I didn’t know anybody and I was in their shoes, I probably would have thought the same thing. That was the first big hurdle I had to get over before anything else,” ZZ said.

Despite being the runner-up on the men’s side of Tough Enough, ZZ was signed to a WWE contract following the show. However, he never made it to WWE television as an active wrestler.

What do you think of ZZ’s experience at the Performance Center? Could his journey have turned out differently with a better understanding from others? Share your thoughts in the comments below!