Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa Should Anchor 205 Live After NXT TakeOver

After tearing the house down at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans on Saturday night in an unsanctioned match, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa are the right Superstars to help take 205 Live to the next level.

Gargano defeated his former tag team partner after a brutal bout in which both wrestlers took full advantage of the unsanctioned status. Gargano earned the victory after locking in an STF with the aid of the brace Ciampa was wearing on his surgically repaired right knee.

The emotion on Gargano's face after he won spoke to the magnitude of the occasion:

Technically, Gargano is now eligible to return to NXT, but it's clear both he and Ciampa are good enough to take a step up.

Gargano and Ciampa came to NXT together as a tag team, and they went on to become one of the most popular acts in the history of the yellow brand as DIY.

They won the NXT Tag Team Championships on one occasion and had countless fantastic matches, but it all came crashing down when Ciampa turned on Gargano following a loss to The Authors of Pain in a ladder match at NXT TakeOver: Chicago in May 2017.

A knee injury landed Ciampa on the shelf immediately thereafter, and while he was out due to injury, Gargano worked his way toward being one of NXT's top stars.

Johnny Wrestling earned a shot at the NXT Championship against Andrade "Cien" Almas at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia in January, and after falling just short, Ciampa returned and attacked him with a crutch.

Ciampa later contributed to Gargano losing another match to Almas that resulted in Gargano being forced to leave NXT.

Despite that, Gargano kept showing up at NXT in an effort to get revenge against Ciampa, leading NXT general manager William Regal to book the former best friends against each other in an unsanctioned match.

Their bout was as good as advertised, and there is no question that they could continue to be key parts of NXT moving forward if Triple H decides to go in that direction.

There is plenty of star power in NXT without them, though, with the likes of Aleister Black, Almas, Adam Cole, Ricochet, Killian Dain, Drew McIntyre (upon returning from injury) and Velveteen Dream all having main event talent.

NXT is already in good hands, whereas 205 Live would benefit greatly from some new blood capable of carrying the brand and making it a must-see show.

The in-ring talent on 205 Live is undeniable, but the departure of big-name performers such as Austin Aries, Neville and Enzo Amore has made the show less desirable to casual fans.

Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali are currently the headliners in the cruiserweight division. They both do remarkable things physically and put on great matches, but there is largely a character development aspect missing from them and most others on 205 Live.

Gargano and Ciampa could fill that void based solely on the fact that they already have a built-in feud deserving of carrying an entire brand.

Also, Gargano and Ciampa have shown that they can effectively work the cruiserweight style, as they had a spectacular match against each other in the first round of the Cruiserweight Classic.

Although it can be argued that Gargano and Ciampa both deserve a chance to make an impact as heavyweights on the main roster, 205 Live could potentially act as a launching pad toward that.

At this point in its existence, 205 Live is still a fledgling brand that needs some tent poles to support it and allow it to thrive over the long term.

Gargano and Ciampa should move on to bigger and better things in the coming years, but their abilities and their rivalry with one another would do more good on 205 Live presently than any other show.

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