Sentiment Towards Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae’s WWE Return Revealed

A new report has given an insight into the reaction backstage upon Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae’s return to WWE.

Johnny Gargano made his way out of NXT in December 2021, giving a heartfelt promo to say goodbye to the fans before being attacked by Grayson Waller as a way to fully take him off programming. In his home life, this was also to allow the former NXT Champion to spend time with his wife and their first child when his contract expired.

Since then there had been speculation whether both LeRae, who had been away since July 2021, and Gargano would resurface in WWE or take a different path. The first time make a return was Johnny Gargano, as Rebel Heart played throughout the arena in Toronto back in August.

Although this led to speculation that Candice LeRae would follow soon after, it was still a surprise to many when she returned on the 26th September edition of Monday Night Raw in a successful outing as the mystery opponent for Nikki A.S.H.

A new report from Fightful Select has shed some light on the relationship between WWE and the pair whilst they were away, as well as the reaction to their return. The report notes that Gargano and the company kept in touch during that time, with the former DIY member making it clear he would be happy to return when the time was right.

The “incredible professionalism” of Gargano was also noted for the time just before his NXT departure, where he worked alongside younger talents such as Austin Theory and Indi Hartwell in The Way to help aid their development, as well as playing a key role in the establishment of Dexter Lumis.

It is also noted that Triple H’s rise to power inside WWE helped to accelerate the pair’s return to the company, despite the fact that they were seemingly in talks with the other “big companies” until a month before Gargano’s return.