Having won the NXT Tag Team Championships and the NXT Championship, as well as participating in one of the most memorable feuds in NXT history against Gargano, Ciampa has had an incredible run with the brand. Things, however, were never easy.

Ciampa struggled through ten years on the independent scene before receiving his break in NXT and when he finally arrived, suffered numerous injuries including a neck injury that threatened to end his career. Ciampa also valiantly battled mental health issues and struggled to find anyone who believed in him as a performer.

Through it all, Ciampa has proven to be a fighter and revealed as much during his recent interview on Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia. We unpack all that and more in 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Tommaso Ciampa.

ALSO READ: 5 Things You Need To Know About Tommaso Ciampa

#5. Triple H is his mentor

Tommaso Ciampa gives Triple H a great deal of credit when it comes to his success over the years. Not only did Triple H give Ciampa an opportunity to shine in NXT, but he credits ‘The Game’ as his mentor, in both professional wrestling and life. Ciampa told Lilian Garcia, “Hunter has become a mentor, for sure, but not even just in wrestling, but in life in a sense.”

When Ciampa and Johnny Gargano were invited to participate in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, they knew WWE had no further plans for them. Triple H was accessible, so Ciampa went to him for advice. After Johnny Gargano was announced for the Cruiserweight Classic, Tommaso Ciampa went to Triple H to suggest that he face Gargano in the first round.

The bout was a resounding success and Ciampa found that he had earned Triple H’s respect. Ciampa has since made a habit of going to Triple H for advice, which has been invaluable to him.

When a torn labrum threatened to halt Ciampa’s ability to sign with NXT, Triple H signed him anyway and WWE inevitably paid for the surgery.

According to Ciampa,

#4. His wife has been instrumental to his career success

Tommaso Ciampa was introduced to Jessie Ward by fellow wrestler Samoa Joe. Ward, a former Tough Enough contestant and producer, hit it off with Ciampa and the two were married in 2013. Ciampa didn’t expect his wife’s advice to be instrumental to his professional wrestling career, but it was career-altering for him.

He told Lilian Garcia,

Ciampa was wrestling in the independent circuit, but struggled to garner the success he would later achieve in NXT. That’s when his wife dropped some eye-opening advice,

At first, Ciampa fought against the notion, but he eventually took his wife’s advice to heart. As Ciampa began to trust his wife’s advice, things began to change for him,

#3. Ciampa struggled in Ring of Honor

Tommaso Ciampa knows that he’s worth more than $20,000. To label Ciampa’s time at Ring of Honor as disappointing would be an understatement. Ciampa felt typecast and despite often pleading for a change of character and for matches against some of the wrestlers on the star studded roster, those pleas often fell on deaf ears.

Ciampa was hired for his promo skills, but inexplicably wasn’t even allowed to speak during his first two years with the company. Ciampa was limited to short, enhancement matches against talent not even contracted to Ring of Honor. He thought,

When Ciampa finally gained some momentum, he felt like he was “hitting an imaginary ceiling.” Ciampa told Lilian Garcia,

Ciampa tried his best to make the changes that were needed and ended up having a fantastic match against Jay Briscoe in England. The two were set to headline an upcoming pay-per-view in Las Vegas, but the powers that be in Ring of Honor nixed the idea, changing the match to a 4-Way instead. The reason they gave: Ciampa couldn’t sell a pay-per-view.

Things really came to a head when Ciampa’s contract was up. When negotiating with ROH, he was given a low ball offer by Joe Koff, who told Ciampa, “No one’s gonna offer you more than $20,000.” Ciampa was shocked that ROH only thought of him as mid-card talent and nothing more,

#2. He refuses to go to RAW or SmackDown

Don’t expect to see Tommaso Ciampa competing for RAW or SmackDown anytime soon, if ever at all. Tommaso Ciampa is NXT loyal and that’s where he wants to stay forever. Ciampa told Lilian Garcia,

While Ciampa has always expressed loyalty to the Black and Gold brand, things are now different for the 34 year old family man.

Ciampa has promised to retire, if he is ever “called up” to the “main roster.”

When Lilian Garcia commended Ciampa for listening to his body, he replied, “I have to.”

#1. He battles depression

After being released from his OVW contract, Tommaso Ciampa’s mental health took a turn for the worse. He wasn’t feeling well physically and despite never being a drinker or into drugs, began taking pills. His depression became more intense and his loved ones noticed a change in character.

One night, Tommaso Ciampa decided that he would take his own life,

Ciampa’s memories of those times are still faint, but at some point he drove his car to a mall parking lot at approximately 3AM. Luckily, a mall security guard, who was off shift, alerted the police. By the time police arrived, Ciampa was “virtually passed out.” Police forced the door of his vehicle open and saved his life. After his suicide attempt, Ciampa ended up at a clinic, where he received the help he needed.

He eventually moved to Missouri to train with WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race. There he found a caring mentor. According to Ciampa,

To this day, Ciampa leaves his DMs open and receives more than twenty messages a week from fans who battle depression. Ciampa still battles depression, but believes he can offer hope to those who struggle, “I think that it helps when you have someone who can relate, or who can listen and not pass judgment.”

(Transcription Credit: Michael McClead, Sportskeeda)

Readers may watch Lilian Garcia’s interview with Tommaso Ciampa in its entirety below:

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