Johnny Gargano’s WWE career has taken an unusual turn in 2026.
For years, Gargano’s story has been intertwined with Tommaso Ciampa, from their memorable rivalry in NXT to their eventual reunion as DIY.
That chapter came to an end earlier this year when Ciampa departed WWE in January to join All Elite Wrestling.
Since then, the two former partners have found themselves on very different paths.
While Ciampa has started a new chapter of his career outside WWE, Gargano has remained on SmackDown, where the loss of his longtime friend became part of an increasingly bizarre storyline.
What started as Johnny Wrestling being unable to snap out of his funk eventually saw Gargano begin appearing face down and largely unresponsive to the people around him.
Now, the storyline has reached a surprising milestone.
Johnny Gargano has officially spent six months “planking” on SmackDown.
The length of the angle has only added to the frustration among loyal Johnny Wrestling fans who are still waiting to see Gargano return to the wrestler they remember.
Sami Zayn addressed Gargano’s situation in an interview with Fox News back in June and praised the former NXT Champion while discussing how some wrestlers struggle to showcase their full potential after reaching WWE’s main roster.
“I think he’s an immensely talented person. Anyone who’s followed his career, actually watched his work especially in NXT, knows what he’s capable of,” Zayn said.
Zayn’s comments carry additional weight when looking back at Gargano’s résumé.
Gargano became the first Triple Crown Champion in NXT history, accomplishing the feat after capturing the NXT Championship, NXT North American Championship and NXT Tag Team Championship.
His critically acclaimed NXT run also produced three matches rated five stars or higher by Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer, including the 5.5-star match against Adam Cole at NXT TakeOver: New York.
Success followed Gargano to WWE’s main roster as well, where he became a two-time WWE Tag Team Champion alongside Ciampa.
Now the question remains: Will this all lead to an epic Johnny Wrestling comeback? And after six months of waiting, will the payoff be worth it?
