How NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 Will End

by Michael Hamflett
Tomasso Ciampa NXT
WWE

Johnny Gargano defeating Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship on Sunday would not provide the same satisfaction as liberating it from Andrade Almas would have done back in January. There's possibly no ending, let alone a happy one, that could supply Gargano with personal resolution equal to the misery he still wishes to heap upon Ciampa. That is unless he not only takes... but gives as well.

The former 'Pyscho Killer' is a man fuelled by a cocktail of sociopathic rage and eerily calm greed. Should Gargano not only take his throne but abdicate it in the immediate aftermath, it discredits Ciampa's core reason for being and undermines his quest to take his former friend's soul on a permanent basis. The gold belt would act as little more than a pair of handcuffs - Gargano would still be tied to Ciampa, still tied to the crime he committed against Aleister Black, still tied to the life he was failing to hold together. Freeing himself of the the Championship would be his true catharsis and ironically his ultimate revenge act.

In storyline terms, a vacated title offers countless opportunities for the developmental brand to anoint a fresh face should the former #DIY members receive post-SummerSlam call-ups. Black's shot would be assured upon his return, whilst a final, final, final resolution between Gargano and Ciampa could be achieved in a November War Games NXT swan-song for both.

Brooklyn's former glories may have been this year's main sales pitch - but rather than this year's August event being remembered for Gargano and Ciampa's greatest match, may it instead be etched in WWE history for the night 'Johnny Wrestling' made his greatest sacrifice?

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett