On Wednesday night, Tommaso Ciampa shocked the wrestling world when he made his AEW debut by confronting the TNT Champion Mark Briscoe on "AEW Dynamite." Last week,Ciampa announced on social media that his WWE contract was close to expiring after having wrestled for the company for 10 years, and though many fans questioned if the 40-year-old would take time off or bring his talents to the independent scene, he ultimately decided to sign with the Jacksonville-based promotion.
During the final hour of "Dynamite" last night, AEW President Tony Khan took to social media to announce that Ciampa was officially "All Elite," with his first match in the company scheduled for this upcoming Saturday on "AEW Collision" after answering Briscoe's open challenge for the TNT Title.
"He arrived on #AEWDynamite tonight to answer Mark Briscoe's TNT Title Open Challenge for #AEWCollision this Saturday, and now it's official: Tommaso Ciampa is ALL ELITE!"
After his debut, Ciampa also cut his first promo in a backstage segment, where he vowed to become the new TNT Champion.
""The Psycho Killer is alive!" EXCLUSIVE: Tommaso Ciampa is ready for his shot at the TNT Championship THIS SATURDAY on #AEWCollision!"
Ciampa has defeated Briscoe twice in his career, having first retained the ROH World Television Title against the Maryland native in 2013, and later scoring a victory over him in singles action later that year. Throughout Ciampa's WWE stint, most fans will remember his iconic 238-day NXT Championship reign, and his success alongside Johnny Gargano as part of the tag team #DIY.
