Triple H explains why WWE Superstar recently threatened to retire

Speaking on a recent episode of Lilian Garcia’s Chasing Glory podcast, Tommaso Ciampa revealed that he has informed people in WWE that he plans to retire if he is told he has to leave NXT to join RAW or SmackDown.

Before NXT became a live two-hour show on the USA Network in October, the general consensus throughout WWE was that a move to RAW or SmackDown – formerly known as the main roster – was seen as a promotion from performing in NXT, but Ciampa made it clear that he wants to remain with the black and gold brand.

Addressing the topic on this week’s After The Bell podcast, host Corey Graves told Triple H that Ciampa had essentially threatened to retire if he was asked to leave NXT to work on RAW or SmackDown.

HHH responded by clarifying that the former NXT Champion has that viewpoint because he believes he will have a longer career if he works the NXT schedule, as opposed to 200+ live shows per year on the red and blue brands.

“I think there’s a part of Ciampa, though, that comes down to wear and tear and physicality of in his current place, physically, could he handle the schedule? Could he handle the grind and the wear and tear and everything else of a full run on RAW or SmackDown? It’s a different beast.

“Even though that schedule has now dropped and has become much more manageable, especially if you have a family and everything else, but for him, he probably looks at it and says, ‘Look, if I’m on the main roster, I’ll have a run that’s this long. If I was on NXT with a lessened schedule and I’m much more manageable, I have a run that’s this long.’ He’d rather do this for a long period of time and then transition into doing all the other stuff that he loves.”

Triple H added that, when the time is right, he believes Ciampa will go on to become a “phenomenal” coach or backstage producer.

He also revealed that the former #DIY member has been combining his job as an on-screen talent in NXT by working as a producer at recent EVOLVE shows.

Watch Tommaso Ciampa talk about his journey to NXT and more in the video below: