Tommaso Ciampa has called WWE home for over seven years. Ciampa first inked a WWE developmental deal back in 2007, but was released just six months after putting pen to paper. When he rejoined the promotion in 2015, Ciampa was given the opportunity to spread his wings in NXT, and this resulted in the Blackheart being draped in gold. Alongside tag partner Johnny Gargano, Ciampa captured the NXT Tag Titles in a critically-acclaimed match against The Revival (AEW’s FTR). Ciampa and Gargano would eventually split and do battle with each other in what many consider to be the hottest feud in NXT history.
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Beyond his tag run and matches with Johnny Wrestling, Ciampa’s biggest NXT accomplishments came with his pair of NXT Title wins. Ciampa reigned with the black and gold’s top prize on two separate occasions, holding it first for a combined 349 days. After his second championship loss, Ciampa moved to the main roster, aligning himself with The Miz.
Thus far, Ciampa’s main roster run has been highlighted by a lone WWE United States Championship opportunity against then-champion Bobby Lashley, which he lost. Since then, Ciampa was quietly removed from television as it was revealed that he was suffering from an injury.
In an update, Fightful Select reports that there is no timetable for Ciampa’s return to the ring. The former NXT Champion is dealing with a hip injury that has been “bothering him for nearly a year.”
Ciampa is no stranger to injuries. A ruptured ACL in 2017 delayed his feud with Gargano and a neck surgery in 2019 forced him to vacate the NXT Title during his first reign.
Once upon a time, Ciampa emphasized that he would never go to WWE’s main roster, as he would sooner retire than leave NXT.
“Having a child, having the pandemic happen and spending three years with her at home and having that time, now she’s at the point… she’s with me at SummerSlam,” Ciampa said regarding his decision to embrace Monday Night Raw. “A lot has changed. My life has changed. My maturity has changed. The opportunities are exciting to me. There’s a lot of new opponents for me to face. It’s hard to put it on one thing.”
Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for updates on Tommaso Ciampa’s WWE status.
