Tommaso Ciampa reflects on his NXT sendoff.
Tommaso Ciampa had his final NXT match at Stand & Deliver 2022 after defining the brand for so many years. Ciampa lost to Tony D’Angelo in a match where he entered paying tribute to both Shawn Michaels and Triple H by incorporating elements of their signature entrances in his entrance.
After the match, Triple H returns to WWE programming for the first time since his cardiac event to celebrate with Ciampa as Ciampa prepared to move on to Monday Night Raw.
Speaking to BT Sport in a clip that was uploaded to Twitter, Ciampa says that he had no idea that Triple H was going to be on stage with him and actually believed that it was an ad being played by Peacock.
“Yeah, it was totally a surprise," Ciampa said. "I guess I will say, I’m easy to surprise, just in the sense I don’t – I’m very in the moment. I’m very now. I don’t think much ahead. So when the director told me — the direction I was given was, ‘After the match ends, Tony will leave, and we’re gonna give you about 30 seconds to stand and let the crowd applaud or whatever. But listen, there’s gonna be a Peacock commercial after. So you have about two minutes. So, just take your time. But when the ref says go, go.’ I put no thought into that."
Tommaso Ciampa did say that he saw Triple H in the gorilla position right before his match and was surprised to see him at the show at all since Hunter had largely been away after his cardiac event.
“Then as I’m going through Gorilla, I saw Hunter just for a brief second and I was like, ‘Holy crap. I had no idea you were gonna be here.’ He said, ‘Oh yeah, I wouldn’t miss it.’ I said, 'Oh, cool,' and next thing you know, the music hits and I go out. So when the match had ended, I get the applause or whatever and I heard the ref smack the side of the ring so I’m like, ‘Okay. It’s time’, and I leave.
“Even when his music hits, if you see the video I just keep walking," he continued. "When his music hits, in my head, I internally go, ‘Huh? What a weird ad for Peacock to play.’ I’m almost befuddled by it. Like, this is bad timing after I had this match to play a Hunter [package], but it makes sense to me. He just retired. So, it’s kinda like, ‘Huh’, and I keep going. Then, I see him and I had that moment of, ‘Oh, we’re doing the thing.’ I had no idea."
Tommaso Ciampa then stated that he thought peacock was just playing an ad about Triple H and didn't realize until Triple H was on stage with him what was actually happening. He did say it added to the moment and made it exactly what it needed to be.
"I also think it was so far out of my realm of thought because – and I might be mistaken, but I think that was the first time he was seen in front of crowds since having his health complications. So I would’ve never thought the first time he’d be in front of a crowd was just to come out and give me a hug and raise my hand... No, the first time is gonna be when you’re at WrestleMania or we’re inducting you into the Hall of Fame or whatever. So for him to be unselfish and kinda give me that one moment, it was cool. And we have such a storied relationship. He’s been so instrumental in all of my success in NXT and WWE. So, yeah, just super cool. There’s no one that means more to me and my career than him. So, and he knows that. We’re very open with one another. So, it was extremely cool and a total surprise and it made the moment what it needed to be for me,” he concluded.
"When his music hit I thought 'huh, what a weird advert to play' I had no idea!"
— WWE on BT Sport (@btsportwwe) April 21, 2022
"For him to give me that moment, it was cool, there's no one that means to more to him and my career than @TripleH."@NXTCiampa on that moment at Stand & Deliver as he said farewell to #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/3eTJYZXDaQ
WWE did announce that what happened between Triple H and Ciampa was only available as it happened to those who subscribe to Peacock Premium. Triple H officially left his boots in the ring at the start of WrestleMania 38 Night 2. Learn more here.
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