Tommaso Ciampa Explains How AEW Debut Felt Like Picking Up Where He Left Off

Tommaso Ciampa's AEW career started off with a bang, winning the TNT Championship, and the night was even more special as he reacquainted himself with his old friend and opponent, Mark Briscoe.

Ciampa and Briscoe had several battles in the 2010s, when they were both a part of ROH, and they renewed their rivalry on the January 28, 2026 edition of "AEW Dynamite." Ciampa said in an interview with the "Battleground Podcast" that they picked up where they left off.

"Sharing the ring with Mark Briscoe right out of the gate [was a great moment]. And then, you know, kind of continuing that with the no holds barred match with him. That's a dude that I shared the ring with a good 15 or so years ago. This is a fun traveling circus, where you can be brothers and family with a group and then as you disperse, you just kind of lose touch with one another. But every time you see each other, you just kind of pick up right where you left off. And that's kind of how it was with Mark, and how it's always been with the Briscoe family."

He said that being in the ring with Briscoe brought back a lot of fond memories from the past. Ciampa recalled the night of his AEW debut and the interaction he had with his old friend before the two had their match, where Ciampa won the TNT Championship.

"I kissed him on the cheek as I walked out, and just the energy that he gives and that good old toothless smile of his, he's got an infectious, contagious passion for pro wrestling, for life in general. The second I saw him, you know, it was a big warm hug, and he's a guy who just loves life. He loves wrestling. So, just being around him, his energy is always infectious. It was just a total blast to be out there with him," he added.

Ciampa said he and Briscoe had different wrestling styles when they last faced each other, but swiftly got to grips, with their chemistry returning quickly.