Tommaso Ciampa cut a passionate promo for fans inside the Capitol Wrestling Center after last night’s WWE NXT episode went off the air.
Last night’s main event saw Ciampa defeat The Velveteen Dream in singles action. The match went just over 13 minutes.
As seen in the video below, Ciampa took the mic after the show and talked about how 2020 has been a difficult year. He also talked about how he really missed the fans in the crowd when facing current NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano in empty venues, or when facing Karrion Kross for his debut.
“2020 has been a year that none of us are ever gonna forget,” Ciampa said. “None of you, none of the guys in the back, in the camera crew, none of the road crew… guys I mean this from the bottom of my heart, I never knew just how damn valuable each and every one of you were to professional wrestling.
“You are the Superstars and when we say ‘We Are NXT!’ it’s literally because of the passion that I feel from each and every one of you in this crowd today. We missed it, month after month facing Johnny Gargano in an empty building. We missed your passion, facing Karrion Kross during his insane debut with the crazy music. We missed your passion.”
Ciampa continued and looked ahead to when things return to normal amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when WWE is able to pack venues with fans once again. He also talked about pro wrestling bringing different people together.
“Listen guys, 2020 is weird. This entire year is strange,” Ciampa said. “Hate is consuming this country and this world, and when I look out to each and every one of you, all I feel is love. It’s gonna start… as silly as it sounds, as dumb as sit may sound to people outside of our bubble, outside of our circle, outside of our family, we know it to be true. This is how it starts, it starts with something like professional wrestling to bring different cultures, communities, people of different ages, races, religions, all in one building, chanting the same thing with passion, with love. You boo who you want, you cheer for who you want. I don’t give a damn, I am a NXT Superstar. The reason I can say it is because I look out at each and every one of you and you make it possible. Guys, girls, please continue to come out.
“It’s only going to grow, it’s only going to get better. Sooner than later we’re going to be removing the masks, sooner than later we’re going to be filling up arenas all around the world again, sooner than later we’re going to share our art form on the biggest and grandest stages that this world has ever seen, and the best part… when it happens, when it happens… we know, we know… that without a shadow of doubt in our beings, that you all are going to bring the same passion, ten fold. You are going to make NXT and professional wrestling greater than it ever has been before. So, when I say it tonight, I say it for myself, for Vic [Joseph], for Wade [Barrett], for Alicia [Taylor], for Tucker and everybody in the back. When we say ‘We Are NXT!’ we mean it… so together, each and every one of you, say it loud, say it proud, because… we are…”
That’s when Ciampa let the crowd finish the promo with, “NXT!” He dropped the mic and made his exit from the ring as “NXT!” chants started up with his music. Ciampa marched to the top of the ramp, acknowledged the crowd in the Capitol Wrestling Center one more time, then left to the backstage area.
Wade Barrett watched the promo from ringside with Vic Joseph and took to Twitter after the show to praise Ciampa for being a leader.
“Sat ringside post-show tonight. @NXTCiampa kicked ass in the main event & then delivered this off-air to the audience at the CWC. There are many layers to being a true NXT superstar and Ciampa scores a 10 in all of them. What a leader,” Barrett wrote.
Stay tuned for more on Ciampa and the post-NXT promo. Below is Barrett’s full tweet, along with footage from Ciampa vs. Dream in the main event:
Sat ringside post-show tonight. @NXTCiampa kicked ass in the main event & then delivered this off-air to the audience at the CWC.
There are many layers to being a true NXT superstar and Ciampa scores a 10 in all of them. What a leader. 👇🏻 https://t.co/9RD88tQW2s
— Stu Bennett (@StuBennett) November 5, 2020
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