Friday night’s SmackDown featured several intriguing moments that set the stage for the upcoming Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania 42 events. A backstage segment generated buzz about the possibility of some SmackDown talent moving over to NXT. During this segment, Fraxiom and the Motor City Machine Guns were chatting when Candice LaRae interrupted to highlight how down her husband, Johnny Gargano, appeared. Gargano was seen lying inside a travel case, looking dejected after losing his Axiom mask.
The tag teams teased Gargano, noting that Nathan Frazer had recently reclaimed the mask. Although Gargano didn’t respond, it was clear he was upset over losing a mask that wasn’t even originally his. Beyond the mask, an important detail was that Gargano’s head was positioned just below an NXT logo, which led fans to speculate about his potential return to WWE’s developmental brand. After the show, Gargano took to X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, “Hello darkness, my old friend.”
Johnny Gargano first returned to NXT in 2019 and has been on the main SmackDown roster since 2022, often seen alongside Tommaso Ciampa—who recently left WWE for AEW. At 38 years old, Gargano hasn’t quite reached the same peaks on the main roster that he achieved in NXT, where he was one of the most beloved babyfaces and a central figure of the Black and Gold era. A move back to NXT on Tuesday nights could be on the horizon.
Such a return would make a lot of sense. With Ciampa gone, Gargano’s prospects of rising to top star status on SmackDown are slim. The tag team, DIY, was strong in the division, but now Gargano seems destined for mid-card bouts. Heading back to NXT could benefit both him and the brand, which recently saw several talents like Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Jevon Evans move up to the main roster after making their marks in NXT’s main events. Currently, the men’s division in NXT lacks star power, especially after Joe Hendry’s recent win to become the NXT Champion in a six-man ladder match.
Gargano’s return would not only bring leadership to younger talent but also give him another chance to be the face of NXT. If he comes back, a babyface turn seems likely, especially given that Ethan Page and Ricky Saint are the prominent heels in the brand now.
Fan Take: This potential NXT return is exciting because Johnny Gargano was a cornerstone of the brand’s resurgence and could reignite fan interest in the men’s division. For WWE fans, it signals a fresh chapter for Gargano while adding much-needed star quality to NXT’s evolving landscape.
