Tommaso Ciampa Says AEW Run Has Exceeded Expectations

Tommaso Ciampa is nearly a year into his AEW tenure, and by his own account, the move has turned out better than he imagined. The former WWE and NXT standout said the experience has surpassed what he expected when he made the jump, adding that his family has also enjoyed the ride since he landed in AEW.

Ciampa signed with AEW in January 2026 after his WWE contract expired, ending a run that included multiple NXT Championship reigns and a lengthy, celebrated history with the black-and-gold brand. He also held the TNT Championship during his time in AEW, giving him hardware in both of the company’s major midcard-to-main-event title pictures over the course of his career.

The move was one of the more notable free-agent departures from WWE in recent memory, given how closely Ciampa’s identity as a performer had been tied to NXT since he arrived in 2015. His transition to AEW represented a fresh start in a new environment, working alongside a different roster and under a different creative team, and it’s the kind of change that can go a number of ways for a veteran talent with such a defined run elsewhere.

By Ciampa’s telling, it’s gone well. Hearing a performer say a promotion switch has exceeded expectations carries weight, especially from someone who spent over a decade with one company before making the leap. It also speaks to how AEW has positioned itself as a legitimate landing spot for established WWE names looking for a change of scenery rather than a step down — a pitch the company has leaned on with several high-profile arrivals in recent years.

The personal note about his family enjoying the journey is a reminder that these moves aren’t purely about championships and creative opportunities. Relocations, schedules, and day-to-day life factor heavily into how a wrestler and their household experience a new chapter, and it’s not something that always gets discussed publicly.

With a TNT Championship run already on his resume in AEW, Ciampa has shown he can slot into meaningful programs rather than simply existing on the roster. The next question is where he goes from here — whether he’s positioned for another title chase, a prominent feud, or a mentorship-type role with younger talent as AEW continues to build out its roster. Given how positively he’s described the run so far, don’t be surprised if Ciampa remains a fixture in AEW’s title pictures for the foreseeable future.