WWE Star Johnny Gargano Opens Up About Emotional Final Night On NXT

WWE star Johnny Gargano was a recent guest on "Insight with Chris Van Vliet," and recalled his emotional farewell to "WWE NXT" in December 2021. "The last night in the company was very sad, and like you said Tommaso [Ciampa] brought up my tears, and where they came from in that show, and a story I think I've only told maybe once before but, I have such a great relationship, and I'm very lucky and it's crazy to say, with Shawn Michaels."

Gargano — who made his "NXT" TV debut in 2015 —  elaborated on how much "The Heartbreak Kid" meant to him, "He was my hero growing up and I spent a lot of time with him, and I made the shadowboxes for people that were really special to me in that building. I made a shadowbox for Shawn, I made a shadowbox for coach [Matt] Bloom, and I gave cards to all the coaches, everyone I spent seven years with. Terry Taylor, Steve Corino, people like that, I gave them special cards and stuff of pictures of us together."

Gargano stated he had an incredible amount of appreciation as he ended this chapter. "They gave me that moment to go on live television, with a microphone, and I wasn't under contract anymore the next day. Like, I literally could've said whatever I wanted in that moment, but I have such a great relationship with everyone I wasn't going to do anything crazy obviously." Gargano had chosen not to re-sign with WWE due to wanting to focus on the birth of he and Candice LeRae's first child, but would return on "WWE Raw" in August 2022.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Insight with Chris Van Vliet" with a H/T to Wrestle Inc. for the transcription.