Former NXT and Tag Team Champion Tommaso Ciampa is reportedly letting his contract expire. He has not been seen alongside his partner Johnny Gargano recently.
Is wrestling market leader WWE losing a long-standing top performer? Former WWE Tag Team and NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa is said to be on the verge of leaving.
According to the website Bodyslam.net, the 40-year-old’s current contract is set to expire, and Ciampa is planning to let it run out. The report states that it is unclear whether the “Psychopath Killer” simply wants to take a break from the business or sign with another league – competitor AEW would be the obvious choice in that case.
WWE: Tommaso Ciampa about to leave?
Ciampa, a student of WWE Hall of Famer Walter “Killer” Kowalski, initially joined the NXT development squad as a free agent in 2015, alongside his companion, tag team partner, and good friend Johnny Gargano.
However, through outstanding performances and his epic rivalry with Gargano, he became the linchpin of the NXT world. As the crazy “Psychopath Killer” and adversary of fan favorite Gargano, he was so convincing that he ultimately rose to become champion. Ciampa and Gargano’s tag team battles, aka DIY, also remain memorable, especially those against The Revival, now one of the top duos in AEW as FTR. In 2022, Ciampa—who, by his own admission, had long had no ambitions outside of NXT—was promoted to the main roster. This was followed in 2023 by a reunion with Gargano and two tag team title reigns. Nevertheless, there is no getting around the fact that neither Ciampa nor Gargano have achieved the status in the main roster that they had in NXT.
Ciampa and Gargano fought their last TV match together in mid-December against Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov, and Ciampa has not appeared alongside Gargano since. Whether the ring veteran is actually striking out on a new path or whether the situation will take a different turn should become clear in the coming weeks and months.
