Gargano to face Ciampa in an unsanctioned match at NXT TakeOver

The heated rivalry between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa will come to a head at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans.

It was announced at the start of tonight’s episode of NXT that Ciampa will face Gargano at TakeOver in an unsanctioned match. Ciampa had been heckled by the crowd upon entering Full Sail University and asked NXT General Manager William Regal how he could finally get Gargano out of his life. Regal said that he would make the unsanctioned match at TakeOver with the following stipulations: if Ciampa wins, Gargano will be out of NXT forever. But if Gargano wins, he will get his job back. 

Gargano was forced out of NXT in storyline after he lost a title vs. career match on NXT last month to Andrade “Cien” Almas. Ciampa had interfered in the match, attacking Gargano with his crutch, which led to Almas getting the win with the hammerlock DDT. On last week’s NXT, Gargano came out of the crowd to attack Ciampa, leading to a pull-apart brawl.