Despite making his first appearance for the company earlier tonight, free agent Johnny Gargano is reportedly not in talks with Impact Wrestling.
As noted, tonight’s Impact episode featured a pre-recorded video package with wrestler discussing Alex Shelley and his legacy to hype him up for his match with Impact World Champion at Emergence on August 12. This was Gargano’s first pro wrestling TV appearance since announcing his WWE NXT 2.0 departure on the December 7, 2021 episode.
In an update, Fightful Select now reports that Gargano is not currently negotiating a contract with Impact officials. Furthermore, when asked if tonight’s video appearance is set to lead to more Impact appearances by Gargano, it was noted that this was more of a “favor by a friend” as Gargano and Shelley have been friends for several years.
This was Gargano’s first-ever appearance for TNA or Impact. There was no tease of the former NXT Champion coming to Impact in the Shelley video. Gargano and Shelley have known each other since the indies, and Gargano once credited Shelley for inspiring him to be the pro wrestler he is today.
Gargano remains one of the hottest free agents in pro wrestling, and has not wrestled since NXT WarGames on December 5. He and his wife, free agent Candice LeRae, welcomed their first child on February 17 of this year, a baby son named Quill.
Gargano’s much-anticipated “What’s NeXT?” stage show is scheduled for Starrcast V this coming Sunday in Nashville, and will be hosted by Inside The Ropes’ Kenny McIntosh. Gargano will sign autographs for Starrcast fans and take photos from 9am – 1pm, then do the stage show at 2:15pm.
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more. Below are a few related shots of Gargano on Impact, along with his Starrcast details:
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