Before announcing his WWE departure, Tommaso Ciampa mysteriously wiped his entire social media presence—and now he’s explaining why.
Speaking with Renee Paquette on Close Up, Ciampa revealed that the social media blackout wasn’t initially about leaving WWE. It actually started as a break—one triggered by real-life stress and a nagging injury.
“The social media going black was more happenstance. I was dealing with a little bit of an injury, and we had a lot going on at home. I thought, ‘I’m going to take a break—like a week or two.’”
That short break quickly evolved into something deeper. When he considered returning to social media, he didn’t just pick up where he left off. By the time he reinstalled them, he had made up his mind.
“When you’re on social media, you take a break and then think, ‘I don’t even want to go back to that.’ I wasn’t even looking at it. I deleted the apps. I thought, ‘Let me just erase it all.’ I’ve done this in the past. It’s kind of my thing sometimes—I just delete everything. You don’t need to see this stuff anymore.”
Once he and WWE started moving in separate directions, Ciampa decided to stay offline until the timing felt right: “My wife and I talked about it. I said, ‘Okay, I’m just not going to go back until it’s time to go back.’”
That time came on January 21, when Ciampa posted a two-page message announcing the end of his WWE run. He thanked every crew, teammate, and brand that helped shape his decade-long journey. And to his fans, Ciampa showed deep gratitude before shifting the focus to what lies ahead.
“In the very near future, my contract with the WWE will officially come to an end. I’d like to thank every single person who contributed to the last ten years of this incredible journey.
To the fans who have shown love and support over the last two decades… thank you from the bottom of my heart. I spent the first decade of my career traveling the world on the independent scene. I spent the second decade of my career traveling the world with WWE. I have one decade remaining and I’m beyond excited for whatever challenges lie ahead.”
Now part of AEW, Ciampa says he’s not retiring—just evolving. And that clean slate? It wasn’t for show—it was for peace.
Was Tommaso Ciampa right to wipe his past before moving forward—or do you think stars owe it to fans to keep the journey public? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know.
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