Sports · Combat Sports · 35 mins ago
Johnny Gargano Says Fear of Letting Others Down Kept Him From Wrestling
Johnny Gargano said he stopped wrestling for about six months because he felt he was letting people down.
Earlier in the year, he was seen planking backstage instead of wrestling, before facing CM Punk in Cleveland in August.
He felt pressure to live up to expectations and said he found it easier not to try than to risk failing.
Gargano said his son Quill watched SmackDown and was upset when his father lost and could not “get the treasure.”
That reaction made the losses harder for him, though Gargano said avoiding the effort was not the right way to handle it.
The Cleveland match helped him believe he could make things happen if he tried, and he thanked fans for supporting him and Sami Zayn for showing him the way.
Johnny Gargano said fear of disappointing others helped keep him from wrestling regularly for six months.
He said he felt unable to meet expectations and was especially hurt when his son cried after he lost matches.
Gargano said he found it easier not to try than to risk failing and letting people down.
His match against CM Punk in Cleveland in August became a turning point, he said.
He thanked fans for supporting him and credited Sami Zayn with helping him return to wrestling.
- Who
- WWE wrestler Johnny Gargano.
- What
- He explained that fear of failing and disappointing others kept him from wrestling regularly for six months.
- When
- Since early in the year; he discussed the experience in a vlog reported on October 27, 2026.
- Where
- WWE television and backstage; his match against CM Punk took place in Cleveland.
- Why
- He felt he was falling short of expectations and was distressed when his son cried after his losses.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Gargano was spotted planking backstage instead of wrestling.
Gargano lay around backstage rather than competing regularly.
Gargano faced CM Punk in Cleveland, which he said became a turning point.
Wrestlezone and Fightful reported Gargano’s explanation in his vlog.
- Wrestler
- Johnny Gargano
- Time away from regular wrestling
- Six months
- Turning-point match
- CM Punk in Cleveland
- Turning-point timing
- August
- Son
- Quill
- Wife
- Candice LeRae
2 sources
What people are saying
In my head, it was easier to just not try than to get up, fail, and let people down.
That broke me.
He would ask me, ‘Are you going to get the treasure?’ I would tell him, ‘I’ll try. I’m really going to try.’