Ranking The Biggest Rivalries In Wrestling Every Year 1990-2020

3. 2018 - Johnny Gargano Vs Tommaso Ciampa

Nxt TakeOver Chicago 2 Johnny Gargano Tommaso Ciampa
WWE.com

A feud that started and ended cursed fortunately had a sublime middle, capped off by one match that many argued as the greatest in WWE/NXT history and a sequel that served as a worthy accompaniment. Remember this formula, because there's more on that later.

Informed by Tommaso Ciampa's turn on DIY partner Johnny Gargano but delayed by the former's injury, their TakeOver: New Orleans unsanctioned match was a classic. Rich in physical callbacks and references that played to their shared history, it was a celebration of the new normal in NXT as a workrate warehouse.

Rematches offered marginally diminished returns, but one criminally bad 2020 retread makes those look noble in comparison.

 
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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 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. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, 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