Tommaso Ciampa is still the WWE NXT Champion. The long-standing champion, who won the title back on July 18, 2018 during an episode of NXT, successfully retained the strap against Aleister Black in the headliner of Saturday’s (January 26, 2019) WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event in Phoenix, Arizona at Talking Stick Resort Arena on the WWE Network.
Ciampa instantly regretted doing this. #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/wlA2BcUhhj
— WrestlingINC.com (@WrestlingInc) January 27, 2019
Literally everyone after watching this #NXTChampionship Match at #NXTTakeOver: pic.twitter.com/hak1gbfj9t
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 27, 2019
Who's ready for Day 185 of @ProjectCiampa's #NXTChampionship reign? #NXTTakeOver #AndStill pic.twitter.com/OCvgb6Ncen
— WWE (@WWE) January 27, 2019
It was a good back and forth contest between two of the top stars in WWE’s developmental brand. Ironically, it was Black who lost the title to Ciampa.
WWE holds NXT TV tapings on Wednesday, January 30th in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University where WWE will have the fallout from this event as well as this match. It will be interesting to see if WWE continues this feud or goes in a different direction. Either way, they put on one heck of a match that delivered and ended the night on a high note after fans witnessed some great matches.
What are your thoughts on Ciampa retaining the title? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.