Tommaso Ciampa got close to winning the NXT Championship once more at NXT TakeOver: Portland, but he was unable to retain Goldie due to an attack from his former tag team partner, Johnny Gargano.The main event of NXT TakeOver: Portland on Sunday night saw Tommaso Ciampa take on Adam Cole for the NXT Championship in a brilliant match.The Blackheart finally had an opportunity to win back Goldie, the title which he never lost as he had to relinquish it back in March last year due to a neck injury, but this opportunity was taken away from him.Not by one of Cole’s friends in The Undisputed Era, but by Ciampa’s former DIY tag team partner, Johnny Gargano.During the match, and with the referee knocked out outside the ring, Gargano appeared at ringside, seemingly to help Ciampa in his fight against Cole and The Undisputed Era, but this wasn’t the case.

Instead, he smashed his former tag team partner in the face with the NXT Championship, reigniting their rivalry from a year ago which was brought to an abrupt end due to The Blackheart’s neck injury.

Cole then used the opening to pin Ciampa and retain the NXT title, celebrating with the rest of The Undisputed Era while Gargano looked on.

Johnny Wrestling turning heel on Ciampa was not something anyone was expecting, but it has come at the right time for NXT as we enter the next few weeks heading towards WrestleMania weekend and TakeOver: Tampa.

The attack reignites the rivalry between the former DIY tag team partners that was taken away from NXT fans a year ago due to Ciampa’s injury, as Gargano and Ciampa were expected to face each other at TakeOver: New York in April last year.

While Gargano and Ciampa are definitely on a collision course to face each other during WrestleMania weekend, it will be interesting to see under what circumstances and stipulations WWE books the match.

It may just be a singles match between the two, or WWE could get Cole involved in the clash as well and make it a triple threat with the winner leaving Tampa with the NXT Championship.

Gargano had competed earlier in the night too, as he lost against Finn Balor, so it will be interesting to see if NXT ties Prince Balor into proceedings as well.

Either way, NXT fans are going to get Ciampa vs Gargano once more following a shocking attack by Johnny Wrestling on The Blackheart.