On the January 28th, 2026 episode of AEW Dynamite, Tommaso Ciampa officially appeared with All Elite Wrestling, marking an important transition in his career. Ciampa revealed in an interview with SI.com that his decision to move from WWE to AEW was influenced by several factors related to his professional goals and the evolving wrestling landscape.
The Factors Behind Ciampa’s Decision to Join AEW
Ciampa described his move as a natural progression that coincided with the end of his WWE contract.
“It’s something I’ve been leaning towards for quite some time. I don’t know that I can say there’s one sole factor that led to it or caused it. I think it’s one of those things when your contract is coming to an end, you naturally have discussions,”
he said.
Ciampa’s Perspective on Wrestling Eras and AEW’s Role in the 2020s
Reflecting on different wrestling eras, Ciampa explained how he identified with key promotions of past decades.
“If I wrestled in the 90s, I’d wanna be a part of ECW… Early 2000s, you wanna be a part of Ring of Honor. I was lucky I got to do that a little bit. 2010s, I think for me at least, I wanted to be part of NXT Black and Gold. And when I looked at the landscape of professional wrestling in the 2020s… the answer was AEW, man. That’s what I want to be a part of,”
he stated.
His Growth and Ambitions Looking Forward
Ciampa addressed criticisms about his peak in 2018 and emphasized his ongoing development.
“For a long time, I had to listen to people tell me, not so much directly to my face but more so online, that 2018 was prime Ciampa. I’m a hundred times better now than I was then. That was nothing. That was absolutely nothing. I’m physically better. I’m mentally sharper. My storytelling, my psychology is on a whole different level than it was back then… what people are about to see is going to blow their minds. It’s gonna shock the world, because I finally have a shot to find out if I’m as good as I think I am,”
Ciampa explained.
The Significance of Ciampa’s AEW Debut
Tommaso Ciampa’s transition to AEW highlights a shift among top wrestling talent seeking new opportunities to showcase their skills and creativity. His move could influence others contemplating similar changes and may shape the competitive dynamics within professional wrestling. Ciampa’s dedication to growth and his confidence in his abilities suggest that his AEW tenure may represent a pivotal phase in his career, promising exciting developments for fans and the wrestling community alike.
