(I wrote all of this Wednesday/Thursday before Takeover, but I am only just now publishing it oops )

Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Hey y'all!

I've decided to start a little mini-series here in this book (and eventually in my other rant book, whenever I complete this one) where I fantasy book things I'd like to see.

For the most part, I'm gonna stick with inevitable feuds/storylines, so nothing like "CM Punk vs. Stone Cold" or anything like that.

I'm sure I'll have more ideas for this in the future, but for now, I've decided to start with what I've been waiting a really long time for: the DIY feud.

This is gonna start at Takeover: Philadelphia, as I'm taking Tommaso's injury into consideration (I'm not changing any of the lead up to his return, if that makes sense).

NXT Takeover: Philadelphia

Before the main event of Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas begins, we get a shot of the newest signees to NXT in the front row: Ricochet, War Machine, and Mrs. Wrestling herself, Candice LeRae.

The match starts, and it's just as amazing as their previous ones, if not somehow better.

At some point, the ref gets distracted, which gives Zelina Vega an opportunity to hit Johnny with a hurricanrana.  As she goes to get into the ring, who do we see jump over the barricade to stop her?  None other than Candice LeRae.

Candice manages to take Zelina out, and the match continues.

Suddenly, Johnny has Andrade in the Gargano Escape, and...

JOHNNY GARGANO IS YOUR NEW NXT CHAMPION!

Zelina, finally coming to her senses, is shocked.  She pulls Andrade out of the ring, immediately talking about how they can get the title back.

Candice gets in the ring to celebrate with Johnny.  There are "Yes!" chants, like this is Daniel Bryan winning the main event of WrestleMania (okay, this is wishful thinking ha).

Johnny has finally moved past the DIY breakup, past his best friend betraying him.  His wife is in the ring with him, having just recently signed to the same company as him, and he is NXT Champion, something Zelina + Andrade told him he'd never be.  He's finally moved on, and he can't wait to be a fighting champion, one that NXT deserves.

The little copyright thing appears in the bottom of the screen, signalling that the show is ending.

Then... new music hits. (I imagine that he'll come out to his CWC theme, but I'm not sure)

Tommaso Ciampa, who we haven't seen since the week after NXT Takeover: Chicago, walks out.

He says nothing, but the look on Johnny's face says it all: a mixture of sorrow, anger, and confusion.  He hasn't moved on.  This man ruined his life, made him question everything he did.  It took months for him to move on, and he comes back now?  He has to ruin the biggest moment in his career?

Tommaso simply points at the championship in Johnny's hands, and he turns to go backstage.  The show ends.

Leading up to the next Takeover

Andrade "Cien" Almas appears the next night in the Royal Rumble, getting 2 or 3 eliminations, but ultimately being eliminated himself.  He gets his rematch on an episode of NXT in a 2 out of 3 falls match.  With Zelina in his corner as usual, Johnny finally has it evened out with Candice in his.

Tommaso doesn't interfere, or even make his presence known, and Johnny wins.  The next week, Andrade + Zelina officially debut on the main roster.

The next week on NXT, we hear from Tommaso Ciampa for the first time in 8 months.  He explains that he didn't interfere in the title match because he wants a shot at the title, but more importantly, he wants a chance to beat up Johnny Gargano all over again.

Johnny comes out.

"You want a shot at my title?  Huh?  You've got it."

The first match for NXT Takeover: New Orleans has been made official, almost two months in advance.

In the weeks leading up to it, both Candice and William Regal try talking Johnny out of it, but he refuses to listen, and is even a little hurt that the two of them don't believe in him.

He has a few matches on TV, all of which have Tommaso standing at the top of the ramp, just watching.  Johnny is able to win most of his matches, though he does lose once to Adam Cole, which had more to do with Bobby Fish + Kyle O'Reilly than Tommaso.

(Tommaso watching distracts him, just enough that he does things just a little off, if that makes sense. He doesn't lose, but he makes small mistakes)

Once Zelina + Andrade go to the main roster, Candice stops accompanying Johnny to the ring, both at the request of him + she is now involved in a feud of her own (maybe with the Iconic Duo?).

NXT Takeover: New Orleans

It's main event time: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship.

More importantly, Johnny will finally be able to get his hands on his former friend.  He can never make Tommaso feel the way he felt for months, but he can damn sure try.

I'm not gonna go into details of this match, simply because I can't predict it.  However, I will say to remember their first round match in the Cruiserweight Classic.  Imagine that, but it is somehow better, and is given 10-20 more minutes.

In the end...

"Your winner, and new NXT Champion: Tommaso Ciampa!"

You can literally feel the vibrations of the audience booing. 

Tommaso stands over Johnny, holding his newly won title in the air.  Without even looking down at his fallen rival, he leaves.

Johnny stays lying on the ground for a while longer.  Once he begins sitting up, the crowd cheers for him.

He is upset.  He hides his face at first, but we soon see just how upset; he is almost crying.  Everything he had worked for had been taken away from him just as quickly as he'd gotten it.

He leaves the ring.

Leading up to the next Takeover

We don't see Johnny again until after the next Takeover.

Tommaso brags about beating Johnny, causing everyone to hate the fucker even more.

Adam Cole comes out.

With a win over the previous champion (Johnny), he says that he deserves a shot at the title.  Tommaso points out that Cole didn't beat him, so why should he give him a match?

William Regal comes out and reluctantly agrees.  However, he says that he will give Adam Cole the match he wants if he can beat one man: Aleister Black.  The winner of the match will face Tommaso at the next Takeover.

(Aleister Black beats Adam Cole in their Extreme Rules match at NXT Takeover: Philadelphia, so it's like "oh, can you beat the man who has already beat you twice?" Kinda like with Johnny/Andrade)

Adam Cole beats Aleister Black, with help from Fish + O'Reilly.  Because of this, the tag champs are barred from coming out during the Takeover match.  Adam Cole will automatically lose if they come out.

NXT Takeover: Wherever They Are For MITB

(I didn't feel like looking it up lmao)

It is Tommaso's first title defense since becoming champion.

It is a super duper awesome match (like you'd expect), and Tommaso retains his title.

Everyone thinks that Johnny might come out after the match, but he doesn't.

Leading up to the next Takeover

After months, Johnny Gargano finally returns.

He cuts a promo.  He basically says that this time around, he's not upset, he's just angry.  He says he wants his rematch at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn.

Tommaso refuses to speak to Johnny face-to-face.  He tells William Regal that he accepts Johnny's challenge, and will give him his championship rematch.

1-2 weeks after this, we see Johnny talking to Regal, too.

"You would like to change the stipulation to your match?"

"Yes, sir.  I want to fight Tommaso in an Iron Man match."

"If you're sure, then I will see what I can do.  But I believe a 30-minute Iron Man match is - "

"No, not 30 minutes."

"What?"

"I want our title match to be a 60-minute Iron Man match."

And with that, we learn the stipulation.  William Regal hesitantly agrees, and schedules a contract signing between the two since they refuse to speak to each other.

(I suppose it could also be a Last Man Standing match, but I think this would be so much better + Asuka and Nikki Cross just had one last year, and I don't think NXT likes doing one stipulation too many times, if that makes sense.  Sasha/Bayley's Iron Man match was back in 2015, and I think this feud is more than worthy of following their epic match)

They have the contract signing, and a lot of honesty is shared.

(I don't want to write this out; I feel like the NXT writers, as well as Johnny + Tommaso, will do a much better job than I ever could)

NXT Takeover: Brooklyn

This Takeover marks the first 60 minute Iron Man match since 2009.

Because it's 60 minutes, I feel like there would be less matches.  Maybe just title matches (women's + tag titles, maybe even the UK?), and possibly a debut, if they want to do that, but only if there's no UK title match.

I don't want to meticulously plan out each fall, so I'm just gonna say that with a minute left, it is tied 3-3.

The match, up to this point, has been absolutely amazing.  It doesn't even feel like you've been watching the two of them wrestle for almost an hour.

Tommaso gets Johnny in armbar, and with 30 seconds left, Johnny taps out.  With the score now 4-3, the crowd begins booing, and Tommaso stands up, believing he has this victory secured.

He gets ready to ask for his title, when suddenly, Johnny is up, and he catches Tommaso by surprise, rolling him up for a pin.

1...2...3!

The crowd goes wild as Johnny manages to tie it up 4-4, and then time is up.

The match ends in draw, meaning that Tommaso retains his title.

After the show, in a backstage interview (remember that Asuka interview where she was like "Ember who? She work here?" It's like that), Johnny basically says, "I didn't win the title, and I'm okay with that.  This match was never about the title; it was about finding out who the better man was.  And maybe there is no better man; and that's okay."

He goes up to the main roster after SummerSlam, while Tommaso remains in NXT, where he feuds with Aleister Black for the NXT Championship.

To End

I'm convinced that this will be like Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens.  I don't think they'll ever really stop fighting.

(I know Sami + Kev are currently teaming, but I'm pretty sure that in the next few months, they'll be right back to feuding)

They might pull a Sami + Kev, or a Shield, and end up back together for a little bit.  Tommaso could turn face, or Johnny could turn heel.  I can't see Johnny ever being heel (even though he has been before NXT), but I also couldn't see Sami being one either, so who knows?

I think it would be cool if Johnny went to SmackDown, and Tommaso went to Raw.  Maybe they could have a face-off in the Royal Rumble, or at Survivor Series, and then one day, one of them is traded to the other show, and we get this feud all over again.

Oh, and also: Johnny + Sami vs. Tommaso + Kevin (whenever Sami goes back to being face).

Anyway.

This is how I'd book this feud.  I'd be worried if it was on the main roster, but since it's in NXT, I know the writers will do them justice.  Things might turn way better than I could ever have imagined.  That would be nice.

If there's a feud/storyline you want me to fantasy book, leave it in the comments!  The only one I won't do is the WWE 4 Horsewomen vs. MMA 4 Horsewomen, because that will end very quickly:

-Shayna Baszler loses her NXT women's title match

-She has a few more matches in NXT

-She leaves, and therefore, the other 4HW don't ever come to WWE

Now that I'm on this topic lmao, the only one of the 4HW that I'm okay with being in WWE is Shayna because she is actually a wrestler, and she's pretty good.  I don't want them to push her as the next Brock Lesnar, because I hate him (mostly because of his character/how he's being booked and pushed).

I'm also okay with the one married to Roderick Strong (don't remember her name), just not if she wrestles.  She added to his feud with Bobby Roode, and I was okay with that.

I just don't want to see Ronda Rousey or whoever the fourth one is (I don't know her name? Or anything about her?).

I'm sorry I got off topic. 

Let me know if you'd change anything about my booking. :)