NXTBlack-and-Gold Era2016–2019
Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa
#DIY torn apart — the best-told feud in NXT history.
Gargano vs Ciampa is widely hailed as one of the best long-form storytelling feuds ever. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa began as the beloved underdog tag team #DIY before Ciampa turned on Gargano in a shocking post-match attack, launching a deeply personal, multi-year war that became the emotional centerpiece of NXT's golden era.
Timeline
Gargano and Ciampa form #DIY, a scrappy, beloved tag team of former independent stars.
DIY battle The Revival at TakeOver: Brooklyn II in a acclaimed tag classic, cementing the team's underdog appeal.
Ciampa turns on Gargano in a brutal post-match attack, ending the team and igniting the feud.
The rivalry explodes in an unsanctioned match at TakeOver: New Orleans — Ciampa wins a no-rules brawl dripping with personal hatred.
They settle it once more in a final unsanctioned match at TakeOver: New York, before eventually reuniting ahead of their main-roster runs.
The Arc
This was a story that rewarded loyalty. Fans who had cheered #DIY as plucky underdogs felt Ciampa's betrayal personally, and NXT spent years cashing in that investment. The feud escalated through career stakes, the slow unmasking of long-buried resentments, and callbacks that only paid off for viewers who had watched from the beginning. Ciampa's sneering, crutch-wielding heel work made him one of the most hated men in the company; Gargano's babyface fire made every comeback feel like justice.
The unsanctioned matches at TakeOver: New Orleans and TakeOver: New York became instant classics precisely because the weapons and violence served genuine emotion rather than empty spectacle. It's a masterclass in patient, character-driven booking — and a signature achievement of the NXT brand at its creative peak. Fittingly, the two eventually reunited as friends before moving to the main roster.
Key Matches
The Wrestlers
The rivalry belonged to Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, the two halves of #DIY. Neither is part of the Wrestle Lore 41-wrestler roster, so both are noted here in plain text. Their story unfolded across NXT's TakeOver events — the same stage where Andrade "Cien" Almas' 2018 title defense against Gargano first launched the saga into overdrive.
FAQ
How did the Gargano vs Ciampa feud start?
They began as the beloved underdog tag team #DIY before Tommaso Ciampa turned on Johnny Gargano in a shocking post-match attack, launching a deeply personal, multi-year war.
Who won Gargano vs Ciampa at TakeOver: New Orleans?
Tommaso Ciampa won the unsanctioned match at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans in April 2018 — the explosive blow-off to the best-told feud in NXT history.
Why is Gargano vs Ciampa so acclaimed?
It's widely hailed as one of the best long-form storytelling feuds of its era, using career stakes, callbacks and escalating brutality to reward loyal viewers. It was a signature achievement of the NXT brand's golden era.