Johnny Gargano Says Reaction to His Win at NXT Takeover: Phoenix Was Validating

Johnny Gargano spoke with the Orlando Sentinel about his NXT North American Championship win at NXT Takeover: Phoenix. Highlights are below:

On the reaction to his win: “When I’m in the ring, I can hear the reactions and know the people are enjoying themselves. They’re emoting in some way, so we’re doing something right. Do I realize, ‘Oh, this is going to be universally praised?’ No. I came back through the curtain that night, and most nights, with very low energy, because that’s just how I am. I didn’t realize how good people thought the match was until after the fact. For me, it was exciting to win my first [singles] title in NXT. That’s validation for the hard work I put in.”

On camaraderie in the NXT locker room: “I don’t know how many times we’ve all been in the locker room and said we can’t believe we’re all here doing this thing. We’ve all supported one another; some of us have known each other for 10 years and been around the world together. In a sense, we’ve grown up together, and to be a part of the NXT team together is truly special.”

On his rivalry with Tommaso Ciampa: “We’ve been able to make this a movie, a comic book come to life. People have been very invested in the twists and turns and we want to keep them guessing. When it’s said and done, people will be talking about it for years to come, and all of us involved in telling that story are very proud of that. We’ve taken people on a great ride.”