WWE Tag Champs DIY Make Surprise Appearance At Cleveland Indie Ahead Of SummerSlam

By Sam Palmer
#DIY holding WWE tag titles Wwe/Getty Images

WWE SummerSlam 2024 is rapidly approaching, and much like WrestleMania weekend, smaller companies are capitalizing on the fact that the biggest promotion in the world has come to town. One such company is the Cleveland based promotion Absolute Intense Wrestling, who held their "Against The World" event on August 1, which saw the likes of NJPW star KENTA, former WWE star Heath Slater, and potentially future WWE talents The Motor City Machine Guns all competing. Not only that, but the fans at the Temple Live Asylum Room got a surprise visit from WWE Tag Team Champions Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa.

Gargano originally came out alone to say hello to the audience, and express how good it felt to be back in his hometown for such a big weekend. He then mentioned that he was one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions and that he didn't come alone, prompting the arrival of Ciampa, who walked out to the Talking Heads song "Psycho Killer," the entrance music he regularly used during his time on the indies.

Given that Gargano is a Cleveland native, AIW was a promotion he regularly worked during his years on the indies, becoming a two-time AIW Intense Champion and a one-time AIW Absolute Champion before signing with WWE on full-time basis in 2016. As for Ciampa, he did work for AIW in the past, even if it was for one night in 2015, but he too was very excited to make this one-off appearance, as were fans in attendance to see it. #DIY aren't officially booked on the SummerSlam card at present, but they do have a huge WWE Tag Team Championship match coming up on the August 2 "WWE SmackDown," as they will defend their titles against Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu of The Bloodline.

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