WWE history: 10 greatest heel turns of the 21st Century

#8 Tomasso Ciampa turns on Johnny Gargano

#DIY was one of the most popular tag teams in the history of NXT. Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano ran roughshod on the developmental brand's tag team division for a long time.

At TakeOver: Chicago in 2017, Tomasso Ciampa betrayed his former friend Gargano after losing a tag team ladder match to The Authors of Pain. A ruthless beatdown followed as the white-hot Chicago crowd booed Ciampa out of the building.

Also read: WWE Hall of Famer doesn't want to see this NXT Superstar on the main roster

The heel turn resulted in a long-anticipated grudge encounter between the two bitter enemies at TakeOver: New Orleans in 2018. Gargano managed to put Ciampa down after a five-star classic.

Also read: 6 NXT Superstars WWE didn't use correctly

The duo recently joined hands again and were two of several NXT Superstars to jump ship to the main roster. Ciampa tried to attack Gargano again, after failing to advance to the 3rd round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. He didn't succeed this time though, as Gargano sensed this one coming and managed to fend Ciampa off, breaking off #DIY again.

Also read: 5 NXT Superstars WWE used correctly

About the author

Abhilash Mendhe is a pro wrestling journalist at Sportskeeda with nearly five years of experience. He completed his MBA from the Symbiosis Institute of Telecom Management in 2016 and worked with multiple banking institutions, including Tech Mahindra. While he started writing WWE articles for Sportskeeda in 2019 as a hobby, it eventually became a significant part of his professional journey.

Abhilash checks his articles thrice before sending them to the editing team, ensuring his work is highly accurate and reliable.

He has interviewed prominent pro wrestling personalities like Noam Dar, Angry Miz Girl, Brendan Cobbina, and Jesse Lambert. Abhilash is a big fan of AEW star Orange Cassidy, as he believes the former International Champion’s on-screen gimmick of an extremely lazy guy resonates with him.

Given the opportunity to script WWE’s next big storyline, Abhilash would treat fans to the second installment of The Bloodline Civil War. He would book Roman Reigns to re-form The Bloodline with The Usos and Sami Zayn upon his comeback. The angle would see The Tribal Chief-led group go head-to-head with The Rock, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Jacob Fatu in a blockbuster family feud.

When not reporting on pro wrestling, Abhilash likes to work out, go on walks, read, and explore new eateries.

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Edited by Atharva Papnoi