WWE Superstar Shakeup 2019: Do Not Move These NXT Stars

Johnny Gargano

Johnny Wrestling has gone through this situation already. He and Tommaso Ciampa were both called up when Vince McMahon decided that both SmackDown and Raw needed new stars. They were paired back together even though they were involved in a storyline on NXT that wrapped around their disdain and mistrust in each other. Unfortunately, Ciampa was forced out of action due to a neck injury that caused for a reshuffling to occur on NXT where he was that brand’s champion. The result? Gargano was elevated to the top spot as he won the title over Adam Cole at NXT TakeOver: New York. With this win, Gargano became the first ever Triple-Crown champion for NXT and was celebrated by those that watched the varying legs of his career.

So, why shouldn’t he want to come up to the main roster? Because of unfortunate perception. Gargano is on the smaller side of professional wrestlers and while many have found a way to overcome their stature, it would hard to watch Gargano go through that extended struggle. A big part of this idea falls on what brand would get Gargano. On SmackDown, he could be involved with storylines with Daniel Bryan, Mustafa Ali, Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kofi Kingston and more. SmackDown had the type of direction that would benefit someone of Gargano’s size and abilities. But if he ended up on Raw, one must fear for the worse.

Plus, Gargano is in the perfect spot on NXT to enjoy a long and productive reign. The brand needs a new star as recent callups have left the brand “bare,” for lack of better terms. As the top name on the brand he could be in line for feuds with the likes of Kushida, Matt Riddle, Keith Lee and others. While these matches will not main event a mainline PPV, they have the immediate potential to steal the show.