Update On Johnny Gargano Following Impact Appearance

If Johnny Gargano's appearance on "Impact on AXS TV" this week got your hopes up that he might by Impact-bound, you may want to pump the brakes.

Gargano, who is currently among wrestling's most high-profile free agents, made a surprise appearance on Impact programming this week via video package to talk about Impact veteran Alex Shelley, a move that has led to some speculation about what his next step could be in the business. According to a report by Fightful Select, however, the appearance is not a harbinger of future events, as Gargano has not been involved in any contract talks with Impact. His involvement in the show was merely "a favor for a friend," and it is not expected to lead to anything else down the line. Gargano had no history with the promotion prior to this week, and for now, and his future remains unclear.

The former "NXT" Champion opted to not re-sign with WWE in 2021, claiming he wanted to be around for the first year of his newborn son's life. Since then, he hasn't returned to the ring once, with his most recent match still being the WarGames encounter where he teamed up with L.A. Knight, Pete Dunne, and old frenemy Tommaso Ciampa to take on (and lose to) four newcomers ringing in the "NXT 2.0" era.

Gargano's potential return to WWE has been a topic of much speculation in the last week, as Triple H, who had previously run "NXT," took charge of the creative department for the main roster in the wake of Vince McMahon's resignation amid a swath of allegations and controversy. While the rumors are just that, it should be noted that Gargano himself has never ruled out a return to the company at some point, claiming earlier this month that a run with the WWE Intercontinental Championship and a match at WrestleMania are "still on my bucket list."

Fans might be able to learn some information about Gargano's next steps this weekend, as he is set to have his own panel show, which is being named 'What's NeXT,' at the Starrcast V event at the Nashville Fairgrounds this Sunday.