Johnny Gargano
Over the following years, Gargano worked for some of the top promotions on the American independent circuit, including Chikara, Dragon Gate USA (DGUSA), Evolve and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG).During his independent days, Gargano also made appearances for national promotions Ring of Honor (ROH) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).[10] He would continue to make appearances for the company until August 5, 2007, teaming up with Prohibition in his CAPW farewell match, where they defeated Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin.After defeating Psycho Sexual Panic (Corvis Fear, Michael Facade and Shiima Xion) on night one of the tournament, Gargano and Aeroform advanced to night two, where they defeated Team Beyond Wrestling (Chase Burnett, Davey Vega and Zane Silver), Da Soul Touchaz (Acid Jaz, Marshe Rockett and Willie Richardson) and finally the Young Studs (Bobby Beverly, Eric Ryan and T.J. Dynamite) to win the tournament.[21] On March 3, 2012, Gargano won a 30-man Gauntlet for the Gold, last eliminating Tim Donst, to earn a shot at Xion and the AIW Absolute Championship.[23] At the February 2008 PWO TV tapings, Gargano brutally attacked Iron, busting him open, assaulting him with a chair, and bashing his head into the ringside barricades.[25] On March 20, 2011, Gargano lost the PWO Heavyweight Championship to Marion Fontaine in a three-way match, which also included Jason Bane, after getting hit with a nightstick.[27][28] Gargano made his debut for Philadelphia–based Chikara on June 14, 2008, taking part in the sixth Young Lions Cup tournament, but was eliminated in the first round against Marshe Rockett.[31][32][33] On June 27 at Faded Scars and Lines, Gargano defeated Player Uno to earn a spot in the eighth Young Lions Cup tournament.ended their losing streak by defeating Da Soul Touchaz (Acid Jaz, Marshe Rockett and Willie Richardson) and 3.0 (Scott Parker and Shane Matthews) and Soldier Ant in six-man tag team matches on September 18 and 19.[43] In June and July, Gargano and Taylor gained three points and the right to challenge for the Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas with victories over The Colony, Incoherence (Frightmare and Hallowicked) and Atlantis and Rey Bucanero.[46] Gargano and Taylor made their first title defense on October 7, defeating Momo no Seishun Tag (Atsushi Kotoge and Daisuke Harada) with help from Icarus.[46] Gargano was sidelined with a back injury and Icarus replaced him; he and Chuck Taylor retained the Campeonatos de Parejas on February 25, 2012, against the Spectral Envoy (Hallowicked and UltraMantis Black), before losing the title to 3.0 on March 24.[49][50] On September 14, F.I.S.T., represented by Gargano, Icarus and Taylor, entered the 2012 King of Trios tournament, defeating Team Osaka Pro (Ebessan, Kikutaro and Takoyakida) in the first round.[61] On October 29 at Dragon Gate USA's first live pay-per-view, Bushido: Code of the Warrior, Gargano wrestled in a four-way match won by Chuck Taylor.Gargano confronted Cima again, offering himself to Warriors International, before attacking him and Ricochet, along with Chuck Taylor and Rich Swann, forming the stable Ronin.[84] On April 6, 2013, Gargano retained the Open the Freedom Gate Championship against Shingo after hitting him with a low blow and a chain, turning villainous in the process.[120] On October 20, Gargano defeated Roderick Strong and, at the end of the event, challenged Adam Cole to a future match for the PWG World Championship.[122] Gargano failed to earn another title shot on January 31, 2014, when he was defeated by Drake Younger in a four-way number one contender's match, which also included Chris Hero and Kyle O'Reilly.[125] On March 23, 2007, Gargano appeared as the "Champion of Liechtenstein", Cedrick Von Haussen, on an episode of World Wrestling Entertainment's television program SmackDown!, losing to Montel Vontavious Porter.[9] Gargano wrestled another tryout for WWE, working under the ring name Joey Gray, at the September 20, 2011, tapings of Superstars, losing to Brodus Clay.[166] Later in the night, after Ciampa successfully defended his NXT Championship against Black, Gargano reunited with his former tag-team partner as they raised their belts in unison on stage as the show went off air.[198] Gargano's streak of successful title defenses followed, including against Kushida at Vengeance Day on February 14, 2021,[199] and Bronson Reed on April 8 at the second night of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver.[201] At In Your House on June 13, Gargano failed to win the NXT Championship in a fatal five-way match involving Adam Cole, Karrion Kross, Kyle O'Reilly, and Pete Dunne.[216] After a five-month hiatus due to a shoulder injury, Gargano returned on the October 2 episode of Raw saving Tommaso Ciampa from an attack from Imperium, reforming DIY in the process.[217] On the January 29, 2024 episode of RAW, DIY received a match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship against The Judgment Day's Damian Priest and Finn Bálor, but were defeated.On the March 18 episode of RAW, DIY defeated the Creed Brothers to qualify for the Six Pack Ladder Match for the Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania XL,[218] which they were unsuccessful.[219] On the April 15 episode of Raw, DIY defeated The New Day and the Creed Brothers to face Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) for the renamed World Tag Team Championship.[222] On the July 5 episode of SmackDown he and Ciampa became the new WWE Tag Team Champions by defeating A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller), having started a feud weeks prior to the title match.On the November 15 episode of SmackDown, Ciampa interrupted a title match between The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) and defending champions Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin), attacking both teams, but Gargano restrained him.
Cleveland, OhioCandice LeRaeProfessional wrestling careerRing name(s)The Land of Cleve, OhioSchaanLiechtensteinGamingprofessional wrestlingprofessional wrestlerSmackDown brandWWE Tag Team ChampionsTommaso Ciampasecond reignTriple CrownNXT ChampionshipNXT North American ChampionshipNXT Tag Team Championshippromotionindependent circuitChikaraDragon Gate USAEvolvePro Wrestling GuerrillaChikara Campeonatos de ParejasEvolve Tag Team ChampionshipOpen the Freedom Gate ChampionshipRing of HonorTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingLakewoodSt. Edward High SchoolMichael HutterBritish chain wrestlinglucha librepuroresuM-Dogg 20Zach GowenAlex ShelleyChris SabinImpact!Jay LethalEric YoungSami Callihanleft leg being shorter than his right legClevelandTyrone EvansTyler Black30-minute Iron Man matchShiima XionDa Soul TouchazMarshe RockettSterling James KeenanTommy MercerBryan DanielsonGauntlet for the GoldTim DonstGregory Ironcerebral palsyLast Man Standing matchvertebraeJimmy JacobsKrimsonKing of TriosPhiladelphiaYoung Lions Cup tournamentThe Colony (Fire Ant, Green Ant and Soldier Ant)IcarusGran AkumaChuck TaylorOsaka ProAtsushi KotogeDaisuke HaradaTadasukeFacebookPlayer UnoMasaaki MochizukiThe Countdown Showdown matchFrightmareMichinoku ProDick TogoGreat SasukeJinsei ShinzakiHallowickedAtlantisRey BucaneroJigsawMike QuackenbushDasher HatfieldUltraMantis BlackThe Young BucksDirector of FunKikutaroCommand BolshoiKaori YoneyamaTsubasa KuragakiCedric AlexanderDrew GulakPrincess KimberLeeChicagoColt CabanaGabe SapolskyEvolve WrestlingEnter the Dragonpay-per-viewLince DoradoFreedom FightOpen the Freedom Gate ChampionRicochetRich SwannOpen the United Gate ChampionsNaruki DoiDragon KidMasato YoshinobabyfaceJon DavisBrodie LeeYamatoAsylum ArenaAkira Tozawa"I Quit" matchA. R. FoxShingovillainousSamuray del SolChris HeroTrent Baretta