Tommaso Ciampa surprised fans with his AEW debut last week—and his instant TNT Championship win over Mark Briscoe only amplified the impact. But as wrestling circles buzzed about his jump, a new update reveals how WWE actually handled his departure behind the scenes.
During a Fightful Select Q&A, Sean Ross Sapp addressed fan speculation about how WWE and those in power—namely Triple H—reacted to Ciampa walking away. Sapp responded clearly:
“I don’t think Triple H was angry. Everything that I’ve heard was that the departure was amicable, and that Tommaso Ciampa was well liked in WWE.”
Despite Ciampa leaving, WWE didn’t bury him or write him off without care. Sapp noted that the company featured him in a storyline with Ilja Dragunov until the very end of his deal—one that still made him look strong on TV:
“They kept him factored into a story with Ilja Dragunov until very late in his deal that still made him look good.”
“I’m sure Triple H doesn’t want to lose anyone, but it’s the nature of the business.”
Ciampa’s AEW debut saw him deliver multiple Psycho Drillers and a match-ending German Suplex into a running knee to win the TNT Title—making him just the second star (after Mercedes Moné) to claim AEW gold in their first match. But despite the splash he made, his WWE exit wasn’t bitter. It was handled with respect.
With no hard feelings reported, Ciampa’s departure serves as another example of how WWE is treating exits in this new era—less punishment, more professionalism.
Were you surprised that WWE let Ciampa leave on such good terms? Should they have done more to keep him, or did they handle it the right way? Let us know what you think in the comments.
