Tommaso Ciampa Explains Why He Left WWE for AEW

Tommaso Ciampa Explains Why He Left WWE for AEW – Tommaso Ciampa is officially All Elite, and he has now fully explained why he chose to leave WWE after nearly ten years with the company.

WWE quietly moved Ciampa to its alumni section on January 27, 2026. Just one day later, he appeared on the January 28 episode of AEW Dynamite, immediately confirming his arrival. AEW President Tony Khan followed that appearance by officially announcing Ciampa as “All Elite,” ending months of speculation surrounding his future.

In a new interview with Sports Illustrated’s Rick Ucchino, Ciampa explained that his departure from WWE was not driven by a single moment or disagreement. Instead, it was a decision that developed over time as his contract neared its end.

“It’s something I’ve been leaning towards for quite some time. I don’t know that I can say there’s one sole factor that led to it or caused it,” Ciampa said. “I think it’s one of those things when your contract is coming to an end, you naturally have discussions.”

Ciampa also spoke about how he views AEW within the broader history of professional wrestling. He compared the company to other influential promotions that defined different eras.

“If I wrestled in the 90s, I’d wanna be a part of ECW… Early 2000s, you wanna be a part of Ring of Honor. I was lucky I got to do that a little bit. 2010s, I think for me at least, I wanted to be part of NXT Black and Gold,” he said. “When I looked at the landscape of professional wrestling in the 2020s… the answer was AEW, man. That’s what I want to be a part of.”

Creative freedom was another major factor in his decision. Ciampa acknowledged that many of his ideas were never able to move forward during his WWE run, despite repeated attempts.

“There were a lot of times I tried… and for one reason or another [over the years in WWE], it just wasn’t something that I could do,” he explained. “But for Tony [Khan] and the whole crew to just collaborate the way they did and have open arms, and see the vision and just allow it to breathe and have a chance, I’m already thinking six months, 12 months ahead on the evolution of the Psycho Killer.”

Ciampa also addressed fans who believe his 2018 NXT Championship run represented the peak of his career.

“For a long time, I had to listen to people tell me, not so much directly to my face but more so online, that 2018 was prime Ciampa,” he said. “I’m a hundred times better now than I was then. That was nothing. That was absolutely nothing.”

He continued by explaining why he feels more prepared now than ever before.

“I’m physically better. I’m mentally sharper. My storytelling, my psychology is on a whole different level than it was back then… what people are about to see is going to blow their minds,” Ciampa said. “It’s gonna shock the world, because I finally have a shot to find out if I’m as good as I think I am.”

Ciampa made his AEW debut by answering Mark Briscoe’s TNT Championship open challenge, setting up his first AEW match on Collision. His entrance featured a complete presentation change, including a new theme song, “My Shadow Knows,” signaling the start of a new chapter.

With a championship opportunity already in front of him, Ciampa is wasting no time establishing himself in AEW.

Tommaso Ciampa Explains Why He Left WWE for AEW