Just like it always is, Johnny wins!
At NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2020, Johnny Gargano became the first-ever three-time NXT North American Champion when he defeated Leon Ruff and Damian Priest thanks to some help from Austin Theory and some other helpful Ghostfaces.
Speaking with Sportskeeda, Gargano opened up about how much it means to him to be a three-time champion after being told “no” so many times in his career.
“It means the world, man. If you told me years ago when I was told no at my WWE tryout. I was told there was no place for me in NXT. To now be here, years later, and to be not only the first Triple Crown champion in history but not only the first two-time North American Champion but the first three-time North American champion. I’ve held five titles now in NXT, won more awards than anyone been on more TakeOvers than anyone. It’s pretty wild. It is kind of a Cinderella story of being told ‘no’ and using it as ways to fuel you and that just kind of who I am. I guess that’s kind of the Cleveland mentality in me. I’m always going to be perpetually the underdog. It doesn’t matter how many titles I’ve won, or awards I’ve won, or shows I’ve been on, I’ll always have a chip on my shoulder. I’m always going to want to be better and I’m always going to watch prove people wrong. So yeah, it’s pretty wild now to be here years later and be in that position and to be in that role, but I’m extremely lucky to do it.”
Continuing on, Johnny would say that his overall goal on-screen is to be able to finally have a lengthy title run, and off-screen, he wants to continue to build NXT for the future and believes that the idea of NXT being a developmental brand is passé.
“I feel like the one thing that I haven’t done yet is have a legitimate title run. For me, being the underdog ‘Johnny Wrestling’ character, I was always more about the chase than the actual title and holding it and defending it. So now I feel like that’s the one blemish on my legacy is not being able to hold the title, not being able to defend it, not being able to have a run with it. So, I feel like that is the number one goal on my mind right now.”
He continued, “Also in kind of a more real sense, I kind of want to build NXT for the future as well. I want to help out other people, propel them to where I think they should be and kind of help NXT reach an even higher platform. I think and every single interview I do, I say that NXT is a viable third brand and I firmly believe that. I think the idea of ‘developmental’ needs to go aside because NXT’s roster is filled with very talented people who have been doing this for a very long time and we all have one goal and that is to take NXT where it deserves to be.”
You can check out the full interview embedded below:
Should you use any portion of the quotes above, transcription credit should go to Robert DeFelice for WrestleZone.
