NXT Takeover: Portland Adam Cole v Tommaso Ciampa

Tommaso Ciampa will finally get to reclaim the title he never lost when he challenges NXT Champion Adam Cole at NXT TakeOver: Portland on Sunday, Feb. 16, on WWE Network.

The Blackheart was forced to relinquish the title he called “Goldie” in March 2019 when he underwent neck surgery. Ciampa was out of action for nearly seven months, returning that October to confront Cole during NXT’s live two-hour debut on USA Network.

The road to this championship showdown has not been a direct one. Though Ciampa has said his life without the title has been empty, he has been laser-focused on the man who currently has Goldie in his clutches. The Blackheart has led a team to victory over Cole’s Undisputed ERA in WarGames, landing the final blow in the battle by driving the NXT Champion through two tables with a devastating slam from the top of the cage.

When Ciampa was revealed as Cole’s challenger for TakeOver, The Blackheart sought to ensure their bout was made official just between the two of them. He did that by taking out the rest of Undisputed ERA and setting up a table in the ring, which he later drove the NXT Champion through when Cole protested the bout.