CLEVELAND — “NXT! NXT! NXT!”
That chant will ring out through the halls of Cleveland’s legendary Agora Theater when World Wrestling Entertainment’s third brand, NXT, makes its annual late-winter trip to Northeast Ohio on Friday March 6 and a native son is expected to be on the card.
Cleveland native Johnny Gargano is one of several superstars featured on the promotional poster, which was shared on Instagram by The Agora.
Along with Gargano, his rivals, Finn Balor and Adam Cole, and longtime tag team partner/on-again, off-again rival Tommaso Ciampa, and the top female superstars, Rhea Ripley, Shayna Baszler, Mia Yim, Bianca Belair and Candace LeRae, are expected to be in action when NXT returns to Cleveland.
Gargano is a graduate of Lakewood St. Edward High School and while he has travelled the world performing as a professional wrestler, it is always special to return to Cleveland, where his career began in the parking lot of his father’s restaurant and catering business on West 25th Street.
“There’s nothing like it,” Gargano told WKYC.com ahead of last year’s visit.
“There’s just such a special feeling when it comes to wrestling in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. I am such a huge supporter of Cleveland. I don’t know if it’s a ‘guys from Cleveland’ thing, where all of us are rooted in our hometown and we care so much about it.”
Although Gargano has entertained millions of fans around the world during his 15-year career, both on the independent circuit and with the WWE/NXT brands, Cleveland is never far from his mind.
When Gargano made his main roster debut with an appearance on WWE’s flagship show, Monday Night Raw, last winter, he paid homage to his hometown by putting the Cleveland skyline on his wrestling trunks.
“That’s a little Easter egg on my gear, and I’m very, very open about how much I love Cleveland, Ohio and being able to perform in front of my family and friends,” Gargano said.
“It could be my last time performing at The Agora. It could be my last time performing with NXT. I’m not sure. I don’t know if anyone knows at this point, so I’ve been taking it day by day, but one thing is for sure, I’m going to take everything in, every little moment.”