5 directions WWE NXT booking could go with Johnny Gargano

He is Johnny Wrestling and the whole shebang--Johnny Gargano has risen to prominence since transitioning to singles wrestling in WWE NXT last year, after a systematic beat down by his former partner Tomasso Ciampa. The year has been a rollercoaster for Gargano, full of hills and valleys that have taken his career all over the place. However, a chance injury to Velveteen Dream led to an opportunity for Gargano, and the resulted in his victory earning him the status of number one contender for Andrade ‘Cien' Almas' NXT championship.

Not only did he win the fatal four-way to attain that status, but also put on what was nothing short of a classic against Almas at NXT Takeover: Philadelphia. What is next for Johnny Wrestling? Where does he go from here? Has he achieved all he could in NXT? While we aren't completely sure what the future holds, we have a few ideas that should be explored. Here are five different directions they could go with Johnny Gargano.

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#5 He ‘retires' from NXT

Could Gargano be forced to 'retire' from NXT?

After the match against Almas at NXT Takeover: Philadelphia, Gargano may have been a celebrated loser that didn't mean to win in the final chapter of his feud with Almas and his pursuit of the NXT championship had been written. On NXT TV a couple of weeks later, Gargano came face-to-face with Almas, and a proposal was put before him that would get him another shot at the NXT championship: either he defeats Almas and captures the championship, or he leaves NXT.

With the next Takeover set to take place in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 7th, could the company have him lose at such a grand event and ‘retire' from NXT? Considering one of the biggest stars in WWE history, Shawn Michaels, retired after an epic encounter against the Undertaker, anything is possible. A retirement from NXT wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for Gargano, as it could mean moving to a different stage.

#4 He captures NXT title

Could we see Gargano capture the NXT championship?

Daniel Bryan. Sami Zayn. We can now add Johnny Gargano to the list of names of those that have given their blood, sweat, and tears to each and every contest, and has been celebrated because of it. Much like when Bryan captured the WWE championship, and when Zayn finally captured the NXT championship, Gargano's thirty plus minute match against Almas was a testament to his will and sacrifice.

With each blow he took and each strike he connected on, fans were right there willing him on. He has shown that he possesses exactly the one quality that fans value most, and that's heart. To have Gargano ultimately capture the NXT championship would be a celebration of how hard he has worked, and doubtless, the fans have been behind him every step of the way, regardless of how long it took.

#3 The loss to Almas forces him out of retirement and into a feud with Ciampa

Ciampa and Gargano appear to be on a collision course with one another

Not only could he be forced to leave NXT if he loses to Almas, Gargano could be berated in the process. Perhaps Gargano loses the match to Almas because of a distraction by a returning Tomasso Ciampa, and after the match we could see Gargano once again beaten down, or perhaps see Candice Lerae harmed in the process of trying to stand over her beaten husband, leading a now-retired Gargano into a whole new mindset.

Much like a father out to exact revenge on anyone that harms his children, he would be a husband out to defend his wife. Ciampa could address the incident with General Manager William Regal, resulting in a revocation of the clause that Gargano had to leave NXT. Regal could easily empathize with Gargano's plight as a husband, how he would not rest at anything to ensure his revenge. It would be Johnny Gargano like we hadn't seen him before.

#2 Candice LeRae is just as much a part of Johnny Wrestling character as Gargano is

LaRae could be a crucial part of Gargano's character moving forward.

Very rarely does the WWE acknowledge off-screen couples as on-screen items. Whether it's current NXT talent, Bianca Belair and her fiancé, one half of the Street Profits, Montez Ford, backstage interviewer Cathy Kelley and Finn Balor, or in the past Alexa Bliss and NXT talent Buddy Murphy, WWE often keeps the relationship status of real-life couples on the down low, and tries not to have them aligned with one another, or in the same storylines.

When Candice competed during the Mae Young Classic last August, and her marriage was openly discussed, fans could sense the suggestion that there was a future story coming somewhere down the line. They aren't shying away from it, and the diminutive Lerae can hold her own in the ring, as can be attested by anyone that has seen her compete. Fans have now become very aware of Mrs Wrestling.

#1 A masked Gargano ‘returns' to attack Ciampa in what is considered the latest edition of ‘fight forever'

Could Gargano wear a mask after his match for the NXT championship?

Animosity always runs deep in wrestling rivalries. Consider someone that is part of your wedding party, and became closely tied to you during your run together as a tag team; it's expected that you're more than friends and could easily be called family. This is the case with Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa.

Their relationship appeared to begin when they competed side by side in NXT after being entering the inaugural Dusty Rhodes tag team classic. After that, they were elevated by feuds with the likes of The Revival and Authors of Pain. The duo rose to the top of the division and achieved the ultimate success, becoming the NXT tag team champions. It was a true sign of how well they worked together and showed they were exactly where they deserved to be.

However, should Gargano lose to Almas and be forced to leave NXT, we could see a ‘masked man’ return to not only lay waste to Almas, but exact revenge on Ciampa, leading to a feud that wouldn’t be unlike what fans saw with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in NXT--a passionate rivalry that fans may never want to see end.

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