SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstars Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa — better known as #DIY — joined The Finish with Kor & Tor to talk about their tag team legacy, NXT Homecoming, and dream matches that could define the next chapter of their careers.
From their early days as unsigned underdogs in the 2015 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic to their emotional return to Full Sail for NXT Homecoming, the duo reflected on their journey, the evolution of NXT, and why they still believe anything can happen in wrestling.
Read the full interview below and watch the clip in the video player above.
The Finish: Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa — #DIY — thank you so much for joining us today.
Ciampa: Thanks for having us, man.
Gargano: Absolutely.
The Finish: You guys have won multiple tag team titles within WWE NXT. You kind of got your big start with WWE back in 2015 in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic as a tag team. At that point, did you see your careers blossoming into what they’ve become today?
Gargano: Yeah, no way. People don’t remember, I guess it’s kind of revisionist history a bit, but we started as a makeshift tag team. We were two guys still on the indies. We weren’t signed to WWE. We were honestly just told no at our tryout maybe weeks before that. So it wasn’t like we were brought in with all this pomp and circumstance. We were given an opportunity and a foot in the door. We both dreamed of being here, knew how talented we were, and all we wanted was an opportunity. We got one in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, and the rest is history.
The Finish: You guys were working there without a contract for a while, right? It didn’t happen until about 2016?
Ciampa: Yeah. I think we were working without a contract in NXT for almost a year at that point. We weren’t at the Performance Center. We were literally just brought in to do TVs and some live events. That did not win us a lot of friends at the Performance Center as we flew home and slept in our own beds all the time.
The Finish: One of the first things I remember of you guys was the Cruiserweight Classic and your opening match — Ciampa versus Gargano. What a great match.
Gargano: The Cruiserweight Classic was such a special time period. It felt like a shift in NXT. It got a lot of eyes on guys who’d been grinding for years on the indies. It was such a cool thing because a lot of us in that tournament had wrestled around the world together and never thought we’d all be here. There’s a great photo somewhere with the whole Cruiserweight Classic group — just one of those “let’s take one for the memory” shots.
Ciampa: Funny story — everyone during that time was about the “100-point picture.” Whenever you’d debut in NXT, you’d get the 100-point picture. For our debut, we didn’t get it because we weren’t under contract. We didn’t get ours until after that Cruiserweight Classic match. It felt like, “Okay, that match went so well, maybe we can ask now.” That photo with Hunter was right after that match — it was kind of the exclamation point on us finally arriving.
The Finish: I grew up a big fan of tag team wrestling — the Midnight Express, Arn and Tully, the Steiners, Doom. What tag teams have inspired you to do what you do today?
Ciampa: You named off a lot of good ones. We’re both students of the game — we go back and watch everything.
Gargano: For me, the Rockers were huge growing up. Rock and Roll Express too — guys who looked like us, smaller, faster, and made you think, “Maybe we can do this.” The Hart Foundation — I was a big Bret guy. And then the Attitude Era teams like the Dudleys, Edge and Christian, and the Hardys — especially that first TLC. That’s what we’ve kind of modeled our main roster career after — paying homage to them but doing it in our own way.
The Finish: Speaking of the Hardys, they just won the NXT Tag Team Championship. When you think about your return to NXT Homecoming, you guys stole the show against Trick and Mello. How emotional was that return?
Gargano: It was surreal. We hadn’t been at Full Sail in about five years. So many incredible parts of our story happened in that building. To come back with the original theme, “Rebel Heart,” wearing our original gear — that whole Homecoming show was a love letter to a very special time in NXT.
Ciampa: We hear that all the time — what the black-and-gold era meant to people. It’s cool to see how much NXT has grown and now being on the CW Network. When we left, our hope was always to leave it better than we found it. Seeing where it is now makes us really proud.
The Finish: What are your thoughts on the current working relationship between WWE and TNA? Could we see #DIY become TNA Tag Champs?
Ciampa: #DIY has never faced the Hardy Boys — that’s a dream match, bucket list for sure. I’ve shared locker rooms with them, but never the ring. Watching them win the NXT Tag Titles definitely opened a door I didn’t expect. Kudos to them — they’re two of the best. Whether it’s TNA, NXT, or SmackDown — if we’re invited, we’ll be there.
Gargano: That’s the cool thing about wrestling right now — anything can happen. Every door feels open. You just can’t predict what tomorrow brings, and that’s an awesome time for both wrestlers and fans.
The Finish: The Sharks are hosting a WWE-themed night (on Oct. 11). Are you two hockey fans?
Gargano: My wife, Candice LeRae, is a huge Ducks fan, so she makes sure I watch hockey all the time. I’m from Cleveland — we don’t have a team — but by marriage, I’m a hockey fan.
Ciampa: I’m a Disney on Ice guy — it’s one step below.
The Finish: Who’s tougher: hockey players or wrestlers?
Ciampa: If we’re on skates, we’re getting our butts whooped. But in a ring? We can handle ourselves.
Gargano: Depends on the scenario.
The Finish: What if you’re wearing hockey skates in the ring?
Gargano: If I’m booked to win, I’ll win.
The Finish: Let’s wrap up with a quick word association game. First one: NXT TakeOver.
Gargano: TakeOvers were the best time of my professional life. My nickname’s “Johnny TakeOver.”
Ciampa: He gave that to himself.
Gargano: I didn’t give it to myself! But yeah, those crowds were unlike any other. NXT was truly taking over wrestling at that time — I’ll hold that close to my heart forever.
The Finish: War Games.
Ciampa: Kevin Owens — that’s the first thing that pops into my head. He was a surprise entrant one year. War Games was my last match as an official NXT roster member. And shoutout to Candice — she’s “Mrs. War Games.”
Gargano: You hear War Games, you gotta say Regal.
The Finish: Dusty Rhodes.
Ciampa: Legend. I wish we’d gotten to NXT a little earlier to sit under that learning tree. He had a way of bringing out the best in people like no one else.
The Finish: AJ Styles.
Gargano: Phenomenal. AJ was my favorite wrestler growing up. I wrestled him when I was 19 — total dream come true. He’s one of the best of a generation, no doubt.
The Finish: Johnny, this one’s for you — action figures.
Gargano: I just bought two X-Men figures yesterday! Action figures are a time capsule of my childhood — a dopamine hit of nostalgia. Every time we get new Mattel figures, it’s so cool. My son plays with little figures of his mom and dad — that’s wild.
Ciampa: My figures live in the Barbie dollhouse. They’re always up to something.
The Finish: The Bay Area.
Gargano: I think of Bayley right away.
Ciampa: Yeah, and I remember great NXT live events in San Jose. The crowd was electric. I think #DIY might’ve reunited there, actually — someone fact-check me on that.
The Finish: One last question before we go — what’s the story behind Bobby Roode and the “Glorious” videos?
Ciampa: During the Cruiserweight Classic rehearsals, they kept playing the “Glorious” theme, and we thought it was the official tournament song. We were all singing it. Turns out, it was for Bobby Roode’s debut. It became an inside joke — we started doing “Glorious Bombs” to pop the boys and try to get Bobby to crack. To his credit, he was always game.
The Finish: Final question — with Halloween around the corner, what songs pump you up before a big match?
Gargano: “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal.
Ciampa: That’s not real.
Gargano: It’s a great song! Batman, baby.
Ciampa: I don’t have one.
Gargano: “Kiss from a Rose” — the official theme of #DIY.
The Finish: Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa — thank you so much for your time.
Gargano: Thank you, man.
Ciampa: Appreciate it.
New episodes of WWE NXT air every Tuesday at 8 p.m. on The CW.
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