Tommaso Ciampa returning to action on next week’s NXT

After nearly eight months away from the ring, former NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa is returning to action next week.

Ciampa vs. Angel Garza has been announced for next Wednesday’s episode of NXT. The match was set up by an interaction between the two on tonight’s show. Garza was offended that Cathy Kelley was interviewing Ciampa instead of him, and Ciampa laid Garza out with a punch.

Ciampa returned to television last week and confronted NXT Champion Adam Cole. On tonight’s episode, Ciampa came out while Undisputed Era were in the ring. He had a crutch and got a steel chair, which led to Undisputed Era bailing. Ciampa sent a message to the NXT title by saying “Goldie, daddy’s home.”

In March, Ciampa was forced to vacate the NXT Championship due to undergoing neck surgery. Johnny Gargano defeated Cole for the vacant title at NXT TakeOver: New York, but Cole then won the championship from Gargano at TakeOver XXV.

Garza made his NXT TV debut as part of the Breakout Tournament in June.