According to Dave Meltzer, NXT champion Tommaso Ciampa is currently suffering with an injury. The wrestling journalist reported on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Ciampa was not at this week’s show for Smackdown Live and has barely wrestled at live events this past year.
“Ciampa is injured although we don’t know the severity of it. It’s something he had been working through with the idea of taking care of it after the Gargano match at Takeover. But that explains why he’s wasn’t on television this week nor was he listed for the upcoming weekend NXT dates. He’s actually only worked five non-TV or major streaming shows so far this year.”
The NXT champion was originally scheduled to appear on the blue brand as an aid to Johnny Gargano, who was advertised to face Cesaro in a one-on-one match. It’s possible that the match was scrapped due to Ciampa’s injuries, though that’s just speculation at the moment.
Ciampa was out for nearly a year with a torn ACL, but it isn’t clear whether this new injury is related. He continues to wear a knee brace as a result of his ACL injury.
As mentioned above, it looks like Ciampa seems to be heading for another match with Johnny Gargano at TakeOver: New York. Until the severity of the injury is determined, then the match-up to the long-building feud does remain in question.