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According to new reports, WWE RAW Superstar Tommaso Ciampa will probably not return to the ring this year.
The former two-time NXT Champion recently aligned with The Miz on the red brand in his feud against Dexter Lumis. Johnny Gargano added a new element to the storyline and suggested that The Miz had initially hired Lumis as his celebrity stalker. However, things went south between them as soon as The A-Lister stopped paying The Tortured Artist.
Vince McMahon rarely used Ciampa, but things seemed to head in the right direction for him after Triple H gained creative control. However, Tommaso is currently dealing with an injury and hasn't been in action since September. His last match was at a WWE Live Event for the United States Title against then-champion Bobby Lashley.
According to PWInsider, the 37-year-old isn't expected to return until next year. Ciampa underwent hip labrum surgery last month.
Tommaso Ciampa on joining the main roster in WWE
At one point, Tommaso Ciampa had an incredible NXT career and was regarded as arguably the best heel in the business. His bitter rivalry with former tag team partner Johnny Gargano will be one that WWE fans will revisit for years.
Speaking with WrestleRant, Ciampa claimed that the timing was perfect for him to jump from NXT to the main roster.
“I love that everybody has their individual stories. I love that I’ve had over 18 years to create my own story. And I liked that this is a big part of it. Like just the timing of the main roster was perfect. Doing SummerSlam on the main roster is far different than doing it with NXT TakeOvers. It’s been a blast this week,” said Tommaso. [H/T:WrestleZone]
Those who aren't familiar with Ciampa's NXT run are yet to see his capabilities. Time will tell if the 37-year-old will get the chance to portray an evil heel character on the main roster next year.
Did you enjoy the rivalry between Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano in NXT? Let us know in the comments section below.
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