Johnny Gargano Shares Excitement For WWE SummerSlam 2024 In Hometown Of Cleveland

It was recently announced that this year's WWE SummerSlam will be taking place in Cleveland, Ohio – the hometown of Johnny Gargano. The WWE star has never been shy about his love for the city, and during a recent appearance on "The Bump," Gargano explained what it means for him to bring the event to his hometown.

"I've been [mentally] putting myself in Cleveland Browns Stadium since I was a small child," Gargano said. "I have sat so many Sundays in that stadium, where the Browns were just awful. They were horrible. They were losing in the fourth quarter and I'd be sitting in Cleveland Browns Stadium just daydreaming. Just wondering, 'Man, if WWE ever ran a big event here, it'd be so incredible to wrestle in this building.'"

Gargano stated that he had long given up on any hope of performing there, as he didn't think Cleveland was a big enough market to host a major event that would require a football stadium. However, following last year's successful SummerSlam in Detroit, Michigan, the company has decided to bring the event back to the Midwest.

With the event taking place in his hometown, it's quite likely Gargano will be on the card in some fashion. Though he hasn't performed on the show yet, Gargano credits SummerSlam as having a monumental impact on his career.

"SummerSlam 1996 was the very first pay-per-view I went to, and that was the night I decided I needed to become a professional wrestler," Gargano continued. "The fact that — full circle — SummerSlam's back in Cleveland, Ohio ... 28 years later, ... it's incredible."

SummerSlam 2024 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 3. Additionally, "WWE SmackDown" will emanate from the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse the day before.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Bump" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.