After 2018 saw Johnny Gargano compete unsuccessfully for the NXT Championship a number of times, he has finally achieved the single’s success that alluded him this past year. Gargano faced – and defeated – NXT North American Champion Riccochet on Saturday night at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix in a match the fans didn’t seem to want to end. With chants of ‘fight forever’ filling the air, Gargano and Ricochet came at one another with everything they had.
At times it seemed as though they were hitting each other with things that didn’t seem possible. Throughout the match, the story being told reflected a new night in Gargano potentially twinkling with an assured champion in Ricochet both jocking for position throughout the contest. For each attempted hurricanrana by Gargano, it was met with Ricochet seemingly landing on his feet time and time again. As the match was drawing to its close and Gargano is faced with the opportunity to go to that dark place where he would incapacitate Ricochet after lifting the matting around ringside. He initially didn’t do it and fans and commentators all appeared relieved that he wouldn’t. However, in not doing so it almost cost him the match. Gargano’s hesitation led to him throwing Ricochet back into the ring and having the champion catch him off guard and roll him up for a near count of three.
When the opportunity presented itself again, Gargano allowed himself to put becoming a champion first and foremost. After hoisting Ricochet up in the air the then hit a brainbuster on the champion seemingly knocking him out. Gargano then rolled the champion in the ring and followed it up with the words ‘I win’ after once again hitting his patented slingshot DDT finishing off Ricochet in the process. As the count of three could be heard the metamorphosis of Johnny Gargano appeared complete. Johnny Takeover had arrived and captured the NXT North American championship in the process.
