Bio
Johnny Gargano is an American Professional wrestler who is best known among the wrestling fans for his time in the NXT which is the developmental territory of WWE. He was a top star of the independent circuit before joining WWE and he is considered a true indie darling. Presently he is under contract with WWE and is active on Friday Night Smackdown.
Johnny Gargano Height, Weight, Age & More:
The billed height of Gargano is 5’9″ and his billed weight is 199 lbs. He was born on August 14, 1987 and currently the former three times NXT North American champion is 36 year old. Gargano was extremely successful in the NXT and he is also recognized as the first NXT Triple Crown Champion. He is presently active in Smackdown.
Johnny Gargano: Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Net Worth, Family, Injury Details, Tattoo, and Other Unknown Facts
Johnny Gargano Early Life
Gargano was born on August 14, 1987 and currently he is 36 year old. Cleveland, Ohio is the place where Johnny Gargano born. His mother Adrianne Gargano and his father’s name is Francis Gargano. He is wrestling fan from his childhood and he considers AJ Styles as his favorite wrestler. He decided to become a wrestler when he was in high school.
Who is Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano is a 36 year old American Professional who is under contract with WWE and is active on Friday Night Smackdown. He was one of the biggest attractions of the independent circuit before joining WWE in 2015. He had an excellent time in the NXT which the developmental territory of WWE. He is recognized as the first NXT Triple Crown Champion.
Johnny Gargano WWE Debut
Gargano signed a professional contract with WWE in 2015 and has been working regularly since. But he got the opportunity to work in WWE for the first time in 2007. His first appearance in WWE was in an episode where he faced Montel Vontavious Porter MVP in a losing effort. After signing a contract with WWE, he appeared in a number of dark matches.
Professional Wrestling Career
Indie Debut
Gargano had been considered one of the top stars of the independent circuit of his time. He was truly an indie darling and was one of the biggest attractions of the Indies. He joined the world of professional wrestling in 2005 at the age of only 18. During his early career, he attempted to work in some of the top promotions.
Early Success
He attempted his luck in both TNA Wrestling and Ring of Honor but he failed. His first ever match was in AIW Gauntlet For The Gold Battle Royal. AIW Absolute Intense Wrestling was the first wrestling promotion that gave him the opportunity to work regularly. It was a Cleveland based independent circuit wrestling promotion and Gargano remained active in this promotion for a long time.
He won multiple championships from this promotion and he had been promoted as a top star of this independent circuit promotion. Pro Wrestling Ohio was another wrestling promotion that also gave him his early break. This promotion later became famous under the name Prime Wrestling. This promotion was owned by Gargano’s uncle and it was not very difficult for him to get the opportunity to work here.
Championship Success
He was a top star in this promotion as well as he won the Heavyweight Championship of this promotion for a total of three times. These are not the only independent circuit promotions he worked in, he was also top stars of other independent circuit promotions like Dragon Gate USA, Evolve, Chikara, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and also other big promotions.
Early WWE Appearances
He had been one of the top stars of the independent circuit and he remained active in the Indies for over a decade. He won championships from almost all the top in the promotions he worked in. Before signing his official contract with WWE in 2015, he made some non contract appearances previously. His first appearance in WWE was back in March 2007 when he faced MVP in an episode of Smackdown in a losing effort.
Professional Information Table
|
Ring Name |
Johnny Gargano |
|
Johnny Gargano Nick Names |
Johnny Wrestling |
|
Profession(s) |
Professional Wrestler |
|
Johnny Gargano Height |
5’9” |
|
Johnny Gargano Weight |
199 lbs. |
|
Relationship Status |
Married |
|
Johnny Gargano Net Worth |
$5 Million |
|
Johnny Gargano Eye Color |
Dark Brown |
|
Hair Color |
Black |
|
Wrestling Debut |
2005 |
|
Mentor |
* |
|
Johnny Gargano Signature Moves |
Baby Ace Crusher, Double knee strike to a cornered opponent, You’re Dead, Diced Bread, Jumping Neckbreaker |
|
Finishing Move(s) |
Crosston Crab, Gargano Escape, Hurts Donut, Swinging reverse STO, One Final Beat |
|
Theme Song / Johnny Gargano Song / Johnny Gargano Music |
Rebel Heart |
|
Catchphrases |
*
|
Johnny Gargano Net Worth & Salary
According to reports from various media sources, the current net worth of the first NXT Triple Crown Champion is estimated to be somewhere around $5 million. Sources also suggest that he earns something around $500,000 as his annual salary. He is presently active in Friday Night Smackdown and is working along with Tommaso Ciampa as a tag team.
Johnny Gargano Family
Gargano was born on August 14, 1987 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was the son of Adrianne and Francis Gargano. His father was of Italian descent and his mother was of Polish descent. His uncle Walt Klasinski owns a Northeastern Ohio-based independent promotion Pro Wrestling Ohio and he got his early break in this promotion. He worked here for six long years.
Championships and Accomplishments
Gargano had been extremely successful in terms of winning championships in the world of professional wrestling. He had been one of the top stars of the independent circuit and he won multiple prestigious championships from all over the indies. He is also recognized as the first NXT Triple Crown Champion as he won all the possible titles in the NXT. However, he did not get to win any titles in the main roster yet.
Championships and Accomplishments Table
| Championships and Accomplishments / Trophy (WWE) | NXT Championship (1 time), NXT North American Championship (3 times), NXT Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tommaso Ciampa, First NXT Triple Crown Champion, NXT Year-End Award (5 times) |
| Awards & Achievements (Outside WWE) | AIW Absolute Championship (1 time), AIW Intense Championship (2 times), Gauntlet for the Gold (2012), Jack of All Trios (2010) – with Flip Kendrick and Louis Lyndon
CBS Sports – Feud of the Year (2018) vs. Tommaso Ciampa, Feud of the Year (2019) vs. Adam Cole, Match of the Year (2019) vs. Adam Cole at NXT TakeOver: New York, NXT Match of the Year (2018) vs. Andrade Cien Almas at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia, WWE Male Wrestler of the Year (2018) CWE Undisputed Championship (1 time) Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas (2 times) – with Chuck Taylor, The Countdown Showdown (2010) CAPW Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time) Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (1 time) Evolve Tag Team Championship (1 time, inaugural) – with Drew Galloway, Open the Freedom Gate Championship (2 times), Open the Freedom Gate Championship (2 times), CITIC Cup (2014), Evolve Tag Team Championship Tournament (2016) – with Drew Galloway IWC Super Indy Championship (1 time), IWC Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Michael Façade Legacy Championship (1 time) Pro Wrestling Illustrated – Feud of the Year (2018) vs. Tommaso Ciampa, Feud of the Year (2019) vs. Adam Cole, Ranked No. 6 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2019 PWO/Prime Heavyweight Championship (3 times) Smash Wrestling Championship (1 time) Sports Illustrated – Ranked No. 9 of the top 10 men’s wrestlers in 2018 – tied with Tommaso Ciampa Wrestling Cares Association – Race for the Ring Tournament (2014) Wrestling Observer Newsletter – Feud of the Year (2018) vs. Tommaso Ciampa, Feud of the Year (2019) vs. Adam Cole |
| Records | Three Times NXT North American Champion, One Time NXT Champion, First NXT Triple Crown Champion |
Personal life & Lifestyle
Most of the WWE fans remember Gargano’s work in WWE since 2015 and fans also make a common mistake of believing 2015 as the year of his debut. But in reality, he made his first WWE appearance back in 2007 in an episode of Smackdown in a losing effort to Montel Vontavious Porter MVP. He was not under contract with the promotion during the time.
Personal Information Table
|
Johnny Gargano Real Name / Full Name |
John Anthony Nicholas Gargano |
|
Birth Date
|
August 14, 1987 |
|
Johnny Gargano Age |
36 |
|
Relationship Status |
Married |
|
Zodiac Sign |
Leo |
|
Birthplace |
Cleveland, Ohio |
|
Nationality |
American |
|
Hometown |
Cleveland, Ohio |
|
School/College/University |
St. Edward High School |
|
Educational Qualification |
Not known |
|
Religion |
Christianity |
|
Johnny Gargano Ethnicity |
White |
|
Current Residence |
Cleveland, Ohio |
|
Hobbies |
Collecting current Funko Pops, Gymming |
|
Johnny Gargano Tattoo |
* |
Johnny Gargano Movies and TV Shows
Since his high school days, Gargano considered professional wrestling as a professional career and he never considered acting as a career. There is no report on whether he has ever appeared on any movies or television series. However, he has appeared in a number of professional wrestling based documentaries. We hope he gets to make his acting debut soon.
Johnny Gargano Wife
Gargano married his fellow professional wrestler Candice LeRae since 2016. They met each other during their independent circuit days. LeRae was a big star on the independent circuit and presently she is under contract in WWE. She has been working in WWE since 2017 and is currently active on Friday Night Smackdown. Together the couple has a son named Quill Gargano born in February 2022.
Success in WWE
Early WWE Appearances
Gargano finally got the biggest opportunity of his career to work in WWE after he attempted a WWE tryout in June 2015. He started appearing in dark matches of the NXT tapings and he lost most of his matches during this time period. His first televised match was his participation in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic where he teamed up with Tommaso Ciampa.
DIY
The team of Gargano and Ciampa passed the first round but got eliminated in the next round. Gargano impressed the WWE officials with his excellent in ring work and he earned a professional contract. Gargano and Ciampa worked regularly as a tag team in the NXT and together they were famously known as DIY. They were one of the top tag teams of the NXT during their time.
Title Success
DIY had excellent Tag Team success as they won the Tag Team Championship of the NXT one time. Later, they became rivals and both of them started working solo. Gargano had been extremely successful as a single wrestler in the NXT as well and he won both NXT Championship and NXT North American Championship. He is recognised as the first NXT Triple Crown champion.
Main Roster Debut
Gargano made his main roster debut in August 2022 after remaining out of action for nine long months. At first he had mostly won treated as a mid card in the promotion as he had multiple matches with different mid card talents. He got the opportunity to challenge for the United States Championship a couple of times but he failed.
Recent Days, DIY Reunion
In late 2023 he reunited with his Tag Team partner Tommaso Ciampa to reform DIY. They had been promoted as one of the top tag teams of Monday Night RAW and they even got the opportunity to participate in the six pack Tag Team ladder match for the Tag Team titles. But they failed to win any of the Tag Team titles. They have been drafted to Friday Night SmackDown during WWE Draft 2024. We hope to see DIY winning the Tag Team titles soon in WWE.
Iconic Quotes From Johnny Gargano
“We’ve got a bunch of guys who have been travelling around the world for over 10 years, scratching and clawing, fighting, just trying to live their dream, just trying to prove people wrong, just trying to show that we belong, and that’s kind of the essence of NXT.”
“I get a lot of comparisons to Daniel Bryan, and trust me, I am flattered by all of them because we mentioned New Orleans and WrestleMania; I watched it at home and watched Daniel Bryan in the main event of WrestleMania achieve his dreams.”
“In the grand spectrum of things in WWE, you are wrestling for that camera and that camera and that camera – and all the cameras they have – and you have to make things work that way because, through that camera, there’s a million people watching.”
“I’ve said many times how big a wrestling fan I am, but all my bias aside as her husband, I’m a huge Candice LeRae fan. I was a huge Candice LeRae fan before we started dating. I was a huge Candice LeRae fan before we got married.”
“Growing up, I was a socially awkward kid who didn’t know where he fit in, and I didn’t have many friends, but I always had wrestling. I always had what was in between those ropes, and that always put a smile on my face no matter what.”
“For me, Philadelphia was always kind of that city you traveled to as an independent wrestler. I traveled there once or twice a month, doing that seven-to-eight-hour drive from Cleveland to Philly just to try and make a name for myself.”
“The fact that I’m still able to wrestle on the indies and yet still do my stuff in NXT, and the fact that I wrestled in front of 15,000 people at the Barclays Center at TakeOver, and then, the following weekend, I was still doing indie shows, is wild.”
Notable Feuds and Rivalries of Johnny Gargano
Gargano had multiple top rivalries with some of the top stars of WWE during his time in the NXT. Adam Cole is indeed one of the biggest rivals of Gargano’s NXT career. Together this iconic do a had some excellent matches. Gargano also had an excellent rivalry with Andrade. Their match from NXT Takeover: Philadelphia still remained one of the best matches of his career. Their rivalry for the NXT championship is definitely one of the best of both of their careers.
But the biggest rival of Gargano’s NXT career will always remain his good old friend Tommaso Ciampa. They first worked as a tag team and together they were known as DIY. Later, they became rivals and together this iconic do a had some amazing matches. Presently they are working as a team once again in the main roster.
Johnny Gargano Injury
Gargano suffered multiple big injuries throughout his wrestling career. In October 2020, he suffered a neck injury while having a match with Finn Balor in the NXT which sidelined him from action for two months. Recently, he was out of action for five long months, but the actual reason behind this absence had never been confirmed.
Other Details
Gargano has appeared in multiple WWE video games as playable characters. Since WWE 2K18, which marked his first appearance in a WWE video game, he has appeared in each and every video game until WWE 2K24 which is the latest installment in the WWE video game series. However, his fans are unhappy with the massive decrease of his ratings in the game.
|
Johnny Gargano Salary |
$500,000 |
|
Brand Endorsements |
WWE Merchandise |
|
Sponsors |
* |
|
Charity |
Make-A -Wish foundation and more |
Social Media Accounts
Johnny Gargano is active on Twitter and Instagram from verified accounts. His verified Twitter account has a total following of 520.9K and his Instagram has a stunning following 693K. Here are links of his social media accounts where you can follow him. Johnny Gargano Twitter, Johnny Gargano Instagram.
Johnny Gargano Win Loss Record
| Promotion | Win % | Draw % | Loss % |
| 2CW | 2 (22.22%) | 2 (22.22%) | 5 (55.56%) |
| AAW | 12 (44.44%) | 0 (0.00%) | 15 (55.56%) |
| AIW | 51 (55.43%) | 4 (4.35%) | 37 (40.22%) |
| AIW/Hybrid | 1 (100.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) |
| Alpha-1 | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 1 (100.00%) |
| Beyond | 2 (28.57%) | 0 (0.00%) | 5 (71.43%) |
| Beyond/SLA | 0 (0.00%) | 1 (100.00%) | 0 (0.00%) |
| CHIKARA | 24 (50.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 24 (50.00%) |
| CZW | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 3 (100.00%) |
| CZW/DG USA | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 1 (100.00%) |
| Dragon Gate | 13 (65.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 7 (35.00%) |
| Dragon Gate USA | 24 (54.55%) | 0 (0.00%) | 20 (45.45%) |
| DREAMWAVE | 7 (41.18%) | 1 (5.88%) | 9 (52.94%) |
| EVOLVE | 38 (57.58%) | 1 (1.52%) | 27 (40.91%) |
| F1RST | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 2 (100.00%) |
| FCP | 1 (50.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 1 (50.00%) |
| FIP | 5 (71.43%) | 0 (0.00%) | 2 (28.57%) |
| FWE | 4 (100.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) |
| GFW | 1 (100.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) |
| HOG | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 1 (100.00%) |
| IWC | 3 (75.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 1 (25.00%) |
| NXT | 171 (65.52%) | 6 (2.30%) | 84 (32.18%) |
| PROGRESS | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 1 (100.00%) |
| PWG | 10 (40.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 15 (60.00%) |
| ROH | 1 (100.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) |
| Smash (Canada) | 16 (80.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 4 (20.00%) |
| Smash (Canada)/CHIKARA | 1 (100.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) |
| Smash (Canada)/CZW | 1 (100.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) |
| WCA | 5 (100.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) |
| WWE | 43 (49.43%) | 1 (1.15%) | 43 (49.43%) |
| WWNLive | 5 (83.33%) | 0 (0.00%) | 1 (16.67%) |
| WXw | 1 (20.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 4 (80.00%) |
| TOTAL | 442 (57.33%) | 16 (2.08%) | 313 (40.60%) |
Johnny Gargano Manager
Gargano had been managed by various names throughout his WWE career, mostly by his fellow professional wrestlers. However, he has never been managed by any professional manager in WWE. Dexter Lumis, his best friend Tommaso Ciampa, and his wife Candice LeRae regularly managed him during his matches. He gets managed by Tommaso Ciampa during his singles matches nowadays.
FAQS
Q. When did Johnny Gargano start wrestling?
A. Johnny Gargano started working in 2005
Q. How tall is Johnny Gargano in feet?
A. Johnny Gargano is 5’9” tall in feet
Q. Who is Johnny Gargano manager?
A. Johnny Gargano does not have a manager, however, he had been managed by various names like Tommaso Ciampa and Candice LeRae
Q. What is current Johnny Gargano song?
A. Johnny Gargano uses the song ‘Rebel Heart’
Q. Who is Johnny Gargano mother?
A. Johnny Gargano’s mother is Adrianne Gargano
Q. Who is Johnny Gargano father?
A. Johnny Gargano’s father was Francis Gargano
Q. Who is currently Johnny Gargano girlfriend?
A. Johnny Gargano is currently married to famous professional wrestler Candice LeRae
Q. Who is Johnny Gargano brother?
A. Not known
Q. How much is Johnny Gargano worth?
A. Johnny Gargano’s net worth is something around $5m
Q. How many times Johnny Gargano won the NXT North American title?
A. Johnny Gargano had been a three times NXT North American Champion