lost the title, ending his reign at 57 days. Gargano's rematch on August 10 at NXT TakeOver: Toronto was then scheduled by William Regal to be another two-out-of-three falls match, with each wrestler allowed to pick a stipulation, with Regal deciding the final fall's stipulation. At the event, Gargano won the second fall, but was ultimately unsuccessful in regaining the title after losing the final fall, which was in a steel cage match, after both men fell from the top of the cage through a table. On the October 23 episode of NXT, Gargano reunited with Ciampa once again, only to be attacked by The Undisputed Era and surprise NXT returnee Finn Bálor. He suffered a legitimate neck injury when Bálor performed his signature move 1916 on Gargano on the entrance ramp, sidelining him indefinitely. He returned on the December 18 episode of NXT, distracting Bálor during his NXT Championship match against Adam Cole, causing him to lose; he then attacked Bálor with a steel chair post-match. The Way (2020–2021) On the January 8, 2020 episode of NXT, Bálor challenged Gargano to a match at NXT TakeOver: Portland, which Gargano accepted. At Worlds Collide on January 25, Gargano and Ciampa defeated NXT UK's Moustache Mountain. At TakeOver on February 16, Gargano lost to Bálor, and later that same night, Gargano interfered in the main-event between Cole and Ciampa for the NXT Championship and attacked Ciampa with the title while the referee was unconscious, subsequently allowing Cole to pin Ciampa, breaking up DIY for the second time and turning heel for the second time in his WWE career. On the April 8, 2020 episode of NXT, Gargano defeated Ciampa in an Empty Arena No Holds Barred match after Candice LeRae gave Ciampa a lowblow and Gargano hit Ciampa with the Fairytale Ending. Gargano and LeRae then began appearing together more frequently as a power couple. At TakeOver: In Your House on June 7, Gargano unsuccessfully challenged Keith Lee for the NXT North American Championship. On July 8 at The Great American Bash, Gargano defeated Isaiah "Swerve" Scott. On the July 22 episode of NXT, Gargano faced Bronson Reed and Roderick Strong in a triple threat qualifying match for a spot in the North American Championship ladder match at NXT TakeOver XXX, but lost. After Dexter Lumis dropped out of the match due to an ankle injury, Gargano replaced him by defeating