NXT three-night Midwest tour with Gargano and Ciampa

WWE's NXT brand will stage a three-night house show tour in the Midwest next week, bringing main roster veterans to support its developing roster. The shows are scheduled for October 9 in Columbus, Ohio, October 10 in Detroit, Michigan, and October 11 in Cleveland, Ohio, and will feature DIY members Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa on all three dates, according to an announcement from NXT head Shawn Michaels.

Michaels also confirmed that the Motor City Machine Guns, Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, will make a special appearance at the Detroit stop on October 10. Ethan Page, the reigning NXT North American Champion, is scheduled to defend his title on each night of the tour; opponents for those defenses have not been announced. Tony D'Angelo is advertised for the shows as well; he has not appeared on NXT television since a storyline cliffhanger in late July.

The loop is intended to give NXT's younger talent exposure to larger crowds and the experience of performing outside the WWE Performance Center in Florida. NXT has increasingly integrated established main roster and veteran performers into its live events and television programming in recent months, a strategy officials say is...