New Unites States Title number one contender Ciampa has boldly claimed that he is the “greatest sports entertainer of all time.”
After a slightly unsteady start to life on the main roster, former two-time NXT Champion Ciampa has begun to flourish on Monday Night Raw as Triple H begins to flex his creative muscles.
The star has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the WWE’s new regime, featuring heavily on the latest episode of the red brand, earning himself a shot at Bobby Lashley’s United States Championship.
During an appearance on the Smash The Mat podcast, Ciampa was asked to describe himself for fans who may not be aware of his earlier work. Seemingly not lacking for self-confidence, the former DIY star declared that he is the greatest sports entertainer in history.
“I’m the greatest sports entertainer of all time. I started saying it when I was wrestling Johnny Gargano, who to me, is one of, if not the best in-ring wrestler there is. I started to compare us, as you would any feud or foe that you have. What do I have that he doesn’t? Well, I talk. I walk, I look the way I look. As well as the way I perform in the ring. Overall, when you think of ‘what does the prolific professional wrestler of today look like?’ It’s me. Maybe, minus four inches. Nothing I can do about that, though. You control what you can control.
When I say I’m the greatest sports entertainer of all time, it’s because I am. I have a really good in-ring IQ. I know how to tell a story and make everything count. My strikes are second to none. My intensity and focus, second to none. My work ethic, second to none. People are going to start to see that over the next few months. The more opportunities I get, the more times I get up to bat, the more home runs I hit, the more fans are going to understand what they’re dealing with.”
Ciampa began appearing regularly for WWE in 2015, initially wrestling in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic alongside Johnny Gargano. Over the next four years, he enjoyed tremendous success alongside Johnny Wrestling while the feud which eventually erupted to between the two is still revered to this day.
Speaking during an appearance at Starrcast V on a special panel with Inside The Ropes’ very own Kenny McIntosh, Gargano revealed that there were plans for him to appear at WrestleMania35 before it was discovered that Ciampa required surgery.
H/t to Fightful for the transcription.