Former champion explains why he was worried about returning to WWE under Triple H

NXT Triple Crown Champion Johnny Gargano has disclosed what he was worried about before he returned to WWE last year.

He parted ways with the company in December 2021 and returned nine months later on the August 22, 2022, episode of RAW. Johnny Wrestling was a major star in the black and gold brand, where he had many memorable matches and held multiple titles. He made his main roster debut after Triple H became the new head of creative.

Speaking to CityNews Ottawa in a recent interview, Johnny Gargano reflected on his return, stating that he was worried the WWE Universe wouldn't remember who he was.

"I was kind of relieved, actually. I was out of the wrestling bubble for so long, I was worried that people were going to forget me and forget what I did in this ring. And here I am, I come out and hear these Johnny Wrestling chants and people were excited to see me on RAW," he said.

Gargano added that he enjoyed being a dad at home and thought about whether he wanted to continue wrestling.

"I'm sitting at home, my body doesn't hurt and mentally, I'm feeling great. But there was thought process I was having, and that was if I wanted to go back and wrestle again," he continued.

WWE

@WWE

Be yourself // Can’t be no one else

@JohnnyGargano #WWERaw

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Be yourself // Can’t be no one else

@JohnnyGargano #WWERaw https://t.co/Lz1YyssKla

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Johnny Gargano names WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels as his greatest influence

The Heartbreak Kid is currently NXT's Head Booker and was part of the creative team during Gargano's run on the brand. The latter is a former NXT, North American, and Tag Team Champion.

Johnny Gargano cited Shawn Michaels as his greatest influence during the same interview:

"I would always be watching wrestling. I would see things that would excite me and see things I wanted to be part of and tell all these stories I wanted to tell. So, in the back of my mind, I knew there was a chance I would be back in the WWE and now that it's all worked out, it's pretty incredible," said Gargano.

Johnny Gargano

@JohnnyGargano

Life is pretty cool. Thanks for being you, @ShawnMichaels.

Signed, This entire generation of Professional Wrestlers.

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Life is pretty cool. Thanks for being you, @ShawnMichaels.

Signed, This entire generation of Professional Wrestlers. https://t.co/d1q5xdSAUx

The WWE RAW star is currently inactive due to injury. He was recently involved in a feud with The Miz, which also included Dexter Lumis.

What was your reaction to Gargano's return? Sound off in the comments below!

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