Tonight’s WWE Raw saw Tomasso Ciampa challenge GUNTHER for the WWE Intercontinental Championship in the main event, with the champion choking Ciampa until he passed out to end the match. After the bout ended, GUNTHER’s Imperium allies entered the ring, attacking the already-beaten Ciampa as GUNTHER made his exit. Moments later, just before the show went off the air, Ciampa’s former tag team partner and real-life friend Johnny Gargano made his return to the company after months away. Gargano ran to Ciampa’s aid, scaring off Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci as the credits appeared, signifying the return of DIY.
Gargano has been absent from WWE TV since May, and Ciampa was on the shelf dealing with injuries for quite some time prior to that. While the stars hadn’t been able to align for a DIY reunion until tonight, there have been numerous hints and teases throughout 2023, indicating that the possibility was still on the table for the accomplished wrestlers. It’s still unknown why exactly Gargano has been missing from TV; while he did suffer an injury back in May, he was reportedly healthy and ready to return as early as July.
Ciampa has not teamed up with Gargano since a 2021 WarGames match in WWE NXT. Prior to that, the two last teamed as DIY (not including live events) at WWE Worlds Collide in 2020. DIY initially broke up on May 20, 2017 – the night Ciampa turned on Gargano after their loss to the Authors of Pain. That betrayal set off a lengthy feud between the two, leading to multiple matches as well as injuries that would derail things at various points in time. Both men would follow very different paths in the ensuing years, but it seems that the tag team may be ready to give things another try on the main roster.
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