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In the days leading up to the Great American Bash, Tommaso Ciampa spoke at length about using the next few years to build his legacy. It makes no difference to him whether he stays in NXT, or eventually makes a move to another brand to accomplish that.
Tonight could be a good start as he teams up with Timothy Thatcher to challenge MSK for the NXT Tag Team Championships. Ciampa believes that he and Thatcher could be on the verge of a special run together and says there are several tag teams across WWE that they want to face.
Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling ahead of the Great American Bash, Tommaso Ciampa was asked about which path provides him with a better opportunity to further make his mark in WWE - staying in NXT or moving to RAW or SmackDown.
While Ciampa says NXT will always be special to him, he doesn't look at one situation as having more value than the other.
"There's something about NXT, and it being my home, that is very original ECW to me. It's what ECW was to Dreamer, RVD and Heyman," Tommaso Ciampa said. "Now I understand all those guys went on after and did stuff in other places. But I don't think I would've ever devalued any of them if they just carried on that other path. So for me, it's not like one is better than the other. There's not much difference to me if I face Randy Orton on RAW or SmackDown or NXT. I don't care if Edge comes to my home or I have to go to his home. I don't have a preference if me and Roman Reigns have to prove who the best of the world is at WrestleMania or at TakeOver."
The confidence of Tommaso Ciampa has never been higher. NXT's resident "Psycho Killer" has proclaimed himself to be the best wrestler in the world. Labels, colors, and brands make no difference. He's ready to prove himself anytime, and most interestingly, anywhere.
These comments go against a statement that Tommaso Ciampa made in an interview a while back, where he said that he would rather retire than make the move to RAW or SmackDown. The former NXT Champion now says those comments made for great headlines but were taken way out of context.
It's not changing brands that Ciampa has an issue with, it's the heavy travel and workload that comes with a permanent move to RAW or SmackDown.
"I would retire if somebody told me, 'you have to do 300 dates a year,'" Ciampa stated. "It was two months out of a broken neck. Now I'm a couple of years out of a broken neck, but I'm not stupid man. Because of the pandemic, I've been wrestling a limited schedule with limited travel. So like, I feel great, but I also understand there's probably reasons that I feel as good as I feel. I just have to do what's best for me. Not just for like Tommaso Ciampa, the legacy, but Tommaso Ciampa the husband, the father, the human. I've got to take care of my body. So, whatever presents itself, that makes the most sense, is what I'm going to do."
Tommaso Ciampa says staying in NXT and chasing down the NXT Tag Team Championships is what makes the most sense at present time.
But what about the future? Will we see those dream matches with Edge, Randy Orton, and Roman Reigns? Unfortunately, Tommaso doesn't have much say on such matters.
Tommaso Ciampa will wrestle any of the top guys, on any show
There's no question that WWE fans would love to see Tommaso Ciampa compete against the likes of Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, Edge, Seth Rollins, and others. So, why not find a way to give the fans (and Ciampa for that matter) what they want?
A number of NXT alumni have recently made the jump back to the Black and Gold Brand after their stints on the so-called main roster. Following his loss to The Fiend at SummerSlam 2019, Finn Balor returned to NXT and went on to capture the NXT Championship for a second time. Ember Moon is someone else who returned to wrestling on Tuesday nights and found success.
While talking to Sportskeeda Wrestling, Tommaso Ciampa was asked whether any discussions had taken place for him to share time between NXT, and RAW or SmackDown, as a way to limit his dates.
"Talked about? No. Thought about by me? Yes," Ciampa revealed. "I can look at wrestlers anywhere in this world and I can tell you, 'Would I have a good thing with AJ Styles?' Yes. Because he's AJ Styles! If I couldn't, then shame on me. I think for me it's such a simple thing, and I think sometimes when it gets misconstrued is when people look for some deeper meaning. I want to get in there with all the best wrestlers in the world and continue to prove how good I am, and continue to get better."
Tommaso Ciampa says that's the main thing that NXT has been able to provide him so far in his WWE career - big matches, on big stages, with incredibly talented performers. Each time out, it offers him a chance to learn and grow as a performer.
"I would love to do that with all the top stars," Ciampa added. "I would love to wrestle Rey Mysterio. That's a dream opponent for me. I don't care where I wrestle him. I just would love to wrestle him, in front of people ideally."
For now, Tommaso Ciampa remains focused on MSK and capturing the NXT Tag Team Championships with Timothy Thatcher. You can catch that match tonight at the Great American Bash. The show gets underway at 8 PM EST on the USA Network.
Check out PART ONE and PART TWO of our conversation with Tommaso Ciampa in the videos above. Also, follow Sportskeeda Wrestling on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube for more exclusive interviews when they drop in the future.
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