In a surprising return to their old stomping grounds, SmackDown’s Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa appeared on NXT tonight and left Trick Williams lying in the ring.
The confrontation kicked off after Williams, in the middle of the ring, declared himself the hottest and greatest superstar in the history of the NXT brand. This bold claim brought out DIY, who had a few things to say about that legacy.
Gargano and Ciampa quickly disputed Williams’ assertion, comparing their own accomplishments to his. While Gargano admitted Williams’ resume was impressive, he argued that the “jury is still out” on the greatest of all time, referencing legends like Finn Balor, Bayley, the Undisputed Era, and Bobby Roode. Ciampa drove the point home, stating that they were two men who defined an NXT era and bled “Black and Gold,” paving the way for Williams to even be there.
After Williams pushed back, saying he had kicked their accolades back to “Medieval Times,” the talking was over. Ciampa shoved Williams directly into a superkick from Gargano. The duo then laid him out with a final set of stereo kicks.
The timing of the appearance was significant, as it marked the 10-year anniversary of Gargano and Ciampa’s first joint appearance in WWE, which occurred on NXT television in early September 2015. Gargano acknowledged the milestone on his Instagram earlier in the day. The duo, who are former NXT Tag Team Champions, currently perform on SmackDown, where they have held the WWE Tag Team Championship twice.