9 Johnny Gargano WWE Attires Inspired By Superheroes (And Their Hidden Meanings)

It should come as no surprise that Johnny Gargano is a superhero aficionado given his prevalence for wearing comic book inspired attires at NXT TakeOver events. Taking inspiration from Marvel Comics' roster of super men and women, his outfits have evolved throughout all of his TakeOver bouts ever since the Brooklyn III event.

His outfits have continually featured some standard design elements like the skyline of his beloved Cleveland, Ohio on the front of his trunks, variations on his nickname like "Johnny Wrestling" or "Johnny TakeOver" on the back, and of course, his winking face logo. However, while retaining those features, each NXT special event has seen Gargano take unique inspiration from an apt superhero from the Marvel universe.

While the characters that Johnny chooses to embody for his marquee matches may seem arbitrary at first glance, there are deeper meanings to them all. Often, the outfits are reflective of not just the current feud he's embroiled in but also his mental and emotional state at the time.

With that, let's look at every superhero inspired attire worn by Johnny Gargano, and the hidden symbolism that each represents.

Having been attacked by his own DIY partner, Tommaso Ciampa, at the end of the previous special from Chicago, Johnny Gargano made a slightly odd choice for his attire in Brooklyn. His trunks, kneepads, and kickpads were adorned in purple and green--the signature colors of The Incredible Hulk - and in his entrance, he wore an all-black vest that was a near-perfect replica of Hawkeye's. Sporting gear inspired by not just one singular hero but of The Avengers team was puzzling given that Gargano's own teammate had recently turned his back on him.

Heading into his bout in Brooklyn, he seemed entirely focused on his opponent Andrade Almas - doing his best Bruce Banner and suppressing his Hulk-like rage toward Ciampa. Gargano let the more calm and collected persona of Hawkeye take hold with his crosshairs focused on Almas instead. Furthermore, it was an attempt by Johnny to show that he would continue to carry on with his former team's namesake motto - doing it himself - this time without the turncoat Ciampa.