Popular tag team to break up after frustrating failure, former stable to re-form? - 4 directions for DIY following WWE SmackDown loss
The latest episode of Friday Night SmackDown was a big show. Over 12,000 fans were in attendance at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to WrestleTix. Those who were there had a fantastic show that featured major matches and moments.
One of the best matches of the night was a tag team match. DIY's Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa battled against Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate. The winners of the bout would go on to fight The Judgment Day for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship at the Elimination Chamber: Perth later this month.
The two teams put on an incredible match that saw Triple H's vision for NXT fully realized on the main roster. Fans loved the action and all four competitors came out looking better than they did going in. Unfortunately, however, only one team could have won.
Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne were the victors, which means DIY is now back to square one. After losing a title match and this number one contender's bout, what is the future for Ciampa and Gargano? This article will look at a handful of possible options.
Below are four directions for DIY following the WWE SmackDown loss.
#4. They could break up due to their loss
DIY has had a complicated history in WWE. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa came into the company together as a tag team of indie workers practically just thrown together. Over time, however, they began to gel and rose up the ranks, even winning the NXT Tag Team Titles.
All good things come to an end, however, and DIY got split up in a violent fashion. Ciampa betrayed Johnny Wrestling and brutally assaulted him. This then led to the two having one of the best rivalries in WWE. It was only in the past six months or so that they had truly managed to bond again.
While they are certainly on the same page now, there is no guarantee things will stay that way. If one of the two competitors is angry over their recent losses, another heel turn and subsequent feud could follow. Could Ciampa once again betray Johnny Wrestling? Only time will tell.
#3. DIY could find a way to challenge The Judgment Day for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 40
If it was not clear before, fans likely know by now that Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa have a major goal in the Stamford-based promotion. They want to take the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles away from The Judgment Day. They believe that the stable is holding the belts hostage.
Finn Balor and Damian Priest are the title holders, but of course, they often have Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio, or JD McDonagh in their corner. Still, they are dominant tag team champions who have managed to defeat DIY recently with the belts on the line.
Still, DIY wants to accomplish its goal. While challenging the tag team champions again at Elimination Chamber: Perth is seemingly out of the question, there is always a scope of a contest at WrestleMania 40. If they can build momentum and pick up wins, perhaps they can challenge for gold at The Show of Shows.
#2. They could re-form a new version of The Way
While everybody loves DIY, it is not the only union Johnny Gargano has had in WWE. More specifically, while in NXT, Johnny Wrestling formed The Way. This was a stable that comprised up to four other members at various points.
Austin Theory, Dexter Lumis, Candice LeRae, and Indi Hartwell all joined Johnny in the group. Nowadays, Austin is on SmackDown, and Dexter is away from television. Still, Candice and Indi are both on Monday Night RAW with Johnny, so it would make sense for them to formally reunite.
Technically, Tommaso Ciampa has never been a member of The Way. He and Candice have had issues in the past, courtesy of the former turning against Johnny. Still, if they can get on the same page, a new version of The Way with DIY, Candice, and Indi could be a force to be reckoned with.
#1. DIY could start a new feud on Monday Night RAW
While Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa are insisting that they want to dethrone The Judgment Day of the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles, there is a chance that just is not in the cards. They lost in their title match and a number-one contender's bout recently.
Instead of immediately getting a rematch of some kind, DIY may end up feuding with a different tag team in WWE. Under the Triple H-led regime, both RAW and SmackDown have close to a dozen tag teams each, making this the most fleshed-out tag team scene in decades.
DIY could feud with The New Day, the Creed Brothers, or the Alpha Academy, for example. Alternatively, they could fight Awesome Truth or even Indus Sher. There are certainly numerous intriguing options for opposition that go beyond just the reigning champions.
Who do you want to see DIY feud against in WWE? Sound off in the comments section below!