Johnny Gargano has named his dream opponent from any era in the history of professional wrestling. Not only that, ‘Johnny TakeOver’ says he’s extended the invitation for the match more than once.
Speaking ahead of NXT TakeOver: In Your House on June 13th, Gargano initially praised the depth of the current NXT roster.
Appearing on ‘Rasslin’ with Brandon F. Walker’ the former NXT Champion said that his favourite part of the events is that any match on the card could be match of the night.
“My favorite parts about TakeOver is that you get five to six matches, and any of those matches could main event,” Gargano said enthusiastically. “They all have their own original stories, they all have a purpose, they all have a reason, nothing against filler, they’re all there to make the show as good as possible. And like I was saying, any night I was main eventing, Io Shirai could’ve main evented, Candice LeRae could’ve main evented, Adam Cole could’ve main evented, Tommaso Ciampa could’ve main evented.
“There are just so many different players there that there isn’t just one guy you look at in NXT TakeOver, and say, ‘I need to watch his match.’ Yes, my name is Johnny TakeOver, but you watch the TakeOver’s to see the Io Shirai’s, the Raquel González’s, the Dakota Kai’s. There are so many people on this roster that are so talented, and I think that the best part about NXT TakeOver is that they get a chance to shine and that any match could be the main event.”
One of the favourite debates for wrestling fans since the beginning of the sport has been the subject of dream matches. Delving into his own perfect scenario, Gargano said that there’s only one option for him, Shawn Michaels. Not only that, he revealed that he’s “extended the invitation.”
“Obviously it is Shawn Michaels, it is definitely Shawn,” said Gargano. “Prime-Shawn, even now-Shawn. I have put out the invitation so many times. Shawn, if you want to lace them up man, I think Johnny Takeover vs. Mr. WrestleMania just sells tickets just sells tickets, man. . . I also did say me and Candice LeRae vs Triple H and Stephanie McMahon is another one.”
Shifting his focus back to the present day, Gargano picked out Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles and Seth Rollins as people who’d like to face in the current era.
“If we’re talking RAW, SmackDown, and NXT, there is always three that I go to. And that would be Daniel Bryan. I’ve wrestled with him on the indies but never in this environment. Seth Rollins, another [person I have wrestled] on the indies but not in this environment, and AJ Styles, another [person I wrestled] on the indies but not in this environment. In NXT, a guy I have never had a singles match with that I think people would really love to see is me vs. Kyle O’Reilly. That is not happened yet on NXT, so I think that would be another good one that I would love to have.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, the former NXT North American Champion also scoffed at the idea that
NXT is a developmental brand. Gargano said that he could “put our talent up against anyone.”
At NXT TakeOver: In Your House Gargano will compete for the NXT Championship against Karrion Kross, Pete Dunne, Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole in a Fatal-Five-Way Match.
H/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.