WWE Nixed Original Plans For Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano Reunion

After months of anticipation, #DIY finally reunited on the October 2 episode of Monday Night Raw. Tommaso Ciampa failed to defeat Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship in the main event of Raw and Imperium proceeded to beat down the 38-year-old following the match. Ciampa ended the show standing tall, though, after Johnny Gargano made the save and ran off Imperium, with #DIY combining to connect with Meeting in the Middle. 

Gargano had been off WWE TV since mid-May, only sporadically wrestling at WWE house shows in squash match losses to Omos in recent months. He almost returned in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, though, according to Fightful Select.

Tommaso Ciampa returned from injury on the June 19 episode of Raw, defeating The Miz in his return. Original plans called for Ciampa to answer a World Heavyweight Title open challenge from Seth Rollins. Not only that, but the open challenge would have ended fairly quickly following Judgment Day interference, which would have led to Gargano's return and the reformation of #DIY after he made the save. 

Gargano was even backstage at Raw in Cleveland but WWE didn't pull the trigger as plans began to change in the days leading up to the show before the reunion was scrapped altogether. Several involved with the angle were frustrated by the change and Gargano remained off TV until this past Monday.