Former NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa has been AWOL for some time now after being sidelined with a debilitating neck injury for the best part of a year. With the lasting image of Ciampa hobbling on stage to embrace his former DIY partner Johnny Gargano at TakeOver: New York, it’s safe to say that the Blackheart v Johnny Wrestling saga has come to an end.
With that in mind, what is there for Ciampa to return to in NXT? Is it really the best place for him to reinstate himself as a headlining star, or should he be one of the first stars called up onto the main roster in time for the new year?
Tommaso Ciampa has become one of the most popular names from the NXT locker room, stealing TakeOver events in matches against Gargano, Velveteen Dream and Aleister Black, so everyone is eagerly awaiting Ciampa to make his return from injury. He undoubtedly became one of the hottest heels in the business during his recent peak, but with the bittersweet moment between Ciampa and his former championship rival still fresh in our minds, it would be hard for him to hit the ring and still be serenaded by boos.
Ciampa could easily slot into this developing grey-area that resides in NXT, where the lines of babyface and heel are blurred and superstars are allowed to embrace their inner dark-side while still remaining in the audience’s good books. Ciampa would definitely be a viable option for Adam Cole’s next contender, providing that he defeats either Matt Riddle or Killian Dain in his looming title fight on USA Network. ‘Blackheart’ could indeed become the face of a new era on a brand new TV network, the nefarious rebel that dissects The Undisputed Era and takes back his ‘Goldie’.
It would be a shame for Ciampa to not be given another successful run on NXT, especially after all the good work done by himself and the team of writers over the past two years. But regardless of his status after he returns, things have moved on in NXT. With new faces taking the spotlight and exceeding expectations, maybe it’s time for Ciampa to move on too.
Raw and SmackDown Live are both finding themselves re-homed over the next month, with perhaps a roster that’s lacking in superstars that carry a special presence about them. Having Ciampa re-debut as part of either brand would cause for a lot of buzz among the WWE Universe. All fans would be interested in what exactly Ciampa’s going to achieve on the main roster, being the first NXT superstar to be ‘called-up’ since WrestleMania season.
Tommaso could become the X-factor on either roster, picking apart the rest of the singles division, establishing himself as a certified badass. Being a smaller guy, he would definitely need a few big wins before the crowd start treating him as more than just another NXT upstart. Perhaps Ciampa could find himself feuding with a Daniel Bryan or a Ricochet to help present him as not only a great wrestler but also a potential champion.
Plenty of former NXT hopefuls have come and gone from the main roster, so they need to try their best to make sure Ciampa doesn’t regret moving away from NXT. Solid booking and a few shocking twists and turns would produce one of the best heels on the main roster — should they play their cards right.
Ciampa has teased on social media that he’s yet to make a full recovery, so there’s a chance we’ll still be waiting on the former NXT champ for a little while longer, which is no bad thing. After all, we want Ciampa to be 100% able to perform on the same level that he has been. His allegiance seems to be with NXT, but depending on how much star power Triple H and the rest of the producers see in him, they might just cut out the middle man and have him bumped up onto either the red or blue brand.
That being said, there’s still plenty of new feuds for Ciampa to indulge in on NXT, with a handful of superstars looking for their first big rub as part of the mainstream system. Kushida, Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic all spring to mind.
Where would you like to see Ciampa end up next? Let us know in the comments below.
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