How An Ill-Timed WWE Main Roster Call-Up Derailed DIY's Most Celebrated NXT Storyline

They may have reunited on "Raw" recently, but DIY's Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa turned bitter rivals leading into April 2019. Their celebrated arc looked set to culminate with Gargano due to challenge Ciampa for the "NXT" Championship at "NXT" Takeover: New York. However, an injury-stricken Ciampa was forced to vacate the title and Gargano instead wrestled Adam Cole for the vacant title. Ciampa opened up about his regrets over the outcome during an interview with Chris Van Vliet. 

He recalled knowing his neck was in bad shape going into the event, but feeling like he could fulfill his commitments before getting surgery, which was booked for April. But then he, Gargano, Aleister [Malakai] Black, and Ricochet were "randomly" called up to the main roster. At first, he thought he would be cast in a non-wrestling capacity. 

"We must be coming in as a group of 'NXT' invaders and I must be the mouthpiece. This is fine. It'll be fine," he explained, "All of a sudden, like I think Johnny and I have like a tag match with someone. I don't know if it's The Bar or Revival. And we're like in a feud. And we're like, what?" 

Ciampa explained that he was conflicted as to whether he should voice his concerns to Vince McMahon, as he also felt obligated to do the job that had been asked of him. Looking back on it, Ciampa said he wishes he would have just spoken to McMahon. Now, having worked with him extensively, he feels like McMahon would have understood his concerns and it may have kept his and Gargano's match alive. 

"So that's the regret because I'm like, if TakeOver New York happens, we have that moment [where] Johnny wins the title, and that feud ends the way it's supposed to. And because it didn't happen, the frickin feud just never ended ... it just kind of kept having hiccups."