Tommaso Ciampa Recalls Pitching Cruiserweight Classic Match, Reflects On ROH Exit

Tommaso Ciampa recalls pitching his match with Johnny Gargano for the WWE Cruiserweight Classic and looks back on his departure from Ring of Honor.

Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano have been linked together since they entered WWE. While they have been a part of numerous NXT TakeOvers classics against one another, the first time the WWE Universe saw them going one-on-one with each other was in the Cruiserweight Classic in 2016. 

Tommaso Ciampa, in an interview with Sean Ross Sapp during SummerSlam weekend, recalled pitching that match to William Regal during the Arnold Sports Festival and William Regal liked the idea so much that he suggested Ciampa pitch it directly to Triple H. 

“So the day before we got a live event and I don’t know what happened – I twist ankle, something – whatever it is, I’m not wrestling the next day. Hunter is there because they’re presenting Arnold with an award and Mr. Regal’s there- not sure why, probably the same thing. I start talking to Mr. Regal, Cruiserweight Classic’s around the corner. I say, ‘Hey, I’m not on the list for the Cruiserweight Classic, but you guys have thirty-two people and that first night is going to be sixteen matches. What if you just put me in there with Johnny and at least we give them that one night one main event type match?’ ‘Well, that’s a great idea. You know what you should do? You should tell Triple H that.’ At this point maybe we’ve spoken ten words to each other. Not a lot. I was like, ‘ Uh, okay. Yeah, sure.’ So I’m not wrestling because I’m injured. I’m like, ‘I’ve got all day. I’ll just wait for an opening.’ I get the opening. I present the idea to him. ‘I’ll think about it. Great.’ Fast forward, like a month later, we’re night one’s main event, the sixteenth match and the rest is history because that Cruiserweight Classic match made us. I thank the Arnold Festival for that.”

Reflecting on Ciampa’s exit from Ring of Honor, Ciampa spoke about his relationship with referee Todd Sinclair, whom he attacked in his final moments on his way out of ROH, and how he was honored to have Todd be a part of his last moments in the company because of the legacy that Sinclair built throughout his tenure with Ring of Honor.

“Oh, with Sinclair. The best part of that is that was [Todd Sinclair]. who’s one of my absolute best friends. When I started at the Chaotic Training Center, he was reffing, at that time, all of the ROH main events for Joe and Dragon and everybody. So he was just this fountain of knowledge, and me and him got real close. The fact that I got to do that with him and he did that favor for me on my way out. I loved that”

Elsewhere in the interview, Tommaso reflected on having confidence in his skills behind the mic when he has given freedom. Learn more here.