Tommaso Ciampa Says He’s Not Going to Raw or SmackDown When He Returns

Tommaso Ciampa was interviewed by Sports Illustrated and had some interesting things to say about his WWE plans for when he returns from his neck surgery that he underwent in March.

Though the interview seemed to be mostly “in character,” Ciampa said that when he returns, he’s not going to Raw or SmackDown.

“I don’t know if people think I’m going to Raw or SmackDown, but here’s a spoiler, I’m not. I’m going to NXT. If someone tells me anything else, I’m answering them with a no. I bleed black and gold. NXT is home. And I have unfinished business there.

“I didn’t lose the title. Storyline or not, entertainment or not, that title meant the world to me. I was ‘The Guy’ for NXT, the hottest brand in the entire world. I came through knee surgery and two shoulder surgeries to get to that point. That’s what I worked my entire career for, so giving up the title is not how I envisioned it ending.

“This is my brand. NXT is mine.”

It can probably be assumed that he’s talking about wanting to return to NXT first when he returns from injury, since he talked about “unfinished business,” and not that he never wants to go to Raw or SmackDown, though that could also be true.

Ciampa was briefly called up to the main roster in February and wrestled one match each on Raw and SmackDown (teaming with Johnny Gargano) before he had to undergo surgery.

There’s currently no timetable for his return.