Tag: Fandango

J.D.C. Announces Planned Retirement, Set to Wrap Up Career After TNA Genesis 2026

Longtime fans might want to savor the next year and a half of J.D.C.’s run — because the former Fandango has officially put a date on the end of his in-ring career.

During this week’s episode of TNA iMPACT!, The System hit the ring for what seemed like a routine group promo. Moose, Eddie Edwards, Alisha Edwards, Brian Myers, and J.D.C. each had a turn to speak, but before Myers could even grab the mic, J.D.C. stepped forward and delivered a major announcement.

J.D.C. Reveals Retirement Plan

J.D.C. shared that he recently got married, and after long conversations with his wife about life after wrestling, he’s decided he will retire at TNA Genesis in 2026. The reveal was emotional, with J.D.C. taking time to thank the fans and both companies that shaped his career.

A New Perspective on His Journey

The veteran admitted that he didn’t always appreciate the opportunities he had along the way, but said his mindset has changed as he heads into the final stretch. He called TNA “the best locker room” he’s ever been part of and made it clear he wants to help The System transition smoothly by finding someone to step into his spot.

A Career Spanning WWE & TNA

J.D.C. — best remembered by WWE audiences as Fandango — spent 15 years under the WWE umbrella from 2006 until his 2021 release. After hitting the independent scene for a stretch, he resurfaced in TNA in 2023 and has been a regular presence ever since.

With Genesis 2026 circled as his final night in the ring, fans now have a long runway to appreciate this last chapter. And if his recent work in The System is any indication, J.D.C. appears set on going out on his own terms — grateful, grounded, and giving back.

Former NXT Tag Champ TNA Star JDC (FKA Fandango) Returns To Challenge For NXT Heritage Cup

The WWE NXT landscape just got a shake-up with the unexpected return of JDC, the star formerly known as Fandango. The TNA Wrestling talent made his presence felt during this week’s episode, interrupting Lexis King’s promo and setting his sights on the Heritage Cup. JDC is now set to challenge for the title on next week’s show.

A Familiar Face Returns to NXT

Lexis King had taken center stage to gloat about his recent Heritage Cup defense against Charlie Dempsey under British Rounds Rules two weeks ago. However, King revealed that moving forward, he would be abandoning the traditional format in favor of standard single-fall matches—a controversial change that immediately sparked debate. Before he could relish his newfound authority over the cup’s stipulations, JDC made his shocking return, signaling his intent to dethrone the champion.

For longtime NXT fans, JDC’s homecoming is a nostalgic one. He last competed for the black-and-gold brand in 2021, where he and Tyler Breeze held the NXT Tag Team Championship in 2020 as Breezango. That reign marked his only championship victory in WWE, closing out a 15-year tenure that saw him rise to prominence, most notably upsetting Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 29 in his main roster debut.

A Career of Ups and Downs

JDC has openly discussed how his WWE career trajectory could have gone differently. He previously claimed he was set to win the Intercontinental Championship in 2013, but an undisclosed concussion reportedly led to backstage heat and derailed his momentum. After his WWE exit in 2021, he reinvented himself on the independent circuit, wrestling for promotions like NWA and GCW under the name Dirty Dango.

In 2022, he resurfaced in TNA Wrestling, a company he had briefly worked for in the early 2000s under his real name, Johnny Curtis. His current moniker, JDC (Johnny “Dango” Curtis), reflects his wrestling evolution, and he has since aligned himself with The System, one of TNA’s top factions.

What’s Next for JDC in NXT?

JDC is poised for a high-stakes showdown with Lexis King next week. Given his experience, charisma, and past connection to the brand, his return could signal a fresh crossover partnership for the TNA star, or it could simply be a one-off special appearance. Either way, NXT fans will be watching closely to see if the former ballroom-dancing showman can once again capture gold in WWE.

Will JDC dethrone King and claim the Heritage Cup, or is this just a brief visit before heading back to TNA? Tune in next week to find out!

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1886952198489207241

Breezango Set To Reunite At Upcoming Independent Show

Following his victory over Matt Cross at Next Generation Wrestling’s Wrestle Wars event, newly-crowned NGW Champion Tyler Breeze will soon reunite with his former tag team partner Fandango, who is now known as Dirty Dango. As revealed on NGW’s Twitter, Breeze will team up with Fandango at the promotion’s Nightmare in The Old City event, which is slated to take place on October 8 in Knoxville, Tennessee. The former “WWE NXT” Tag Team Champions, once known as Breezango, will now be introduced as Dirty Breeze.

NGW Nightmare in The Old City will mark the pair’s first tag team appearance since June 15, 2021, when they defeated Imperium’s Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel (Giovanni Vinci & Ludwig Kaiser) on “WWE NXT.” Ten days later, WWE released both Breeze and Fandango. Upon their exit from WWE, Fandango returned to the independent circuit and later appeared in the National Wrestling Alliance, where he formed The Dirty Sexy Boys with JTG. After a stint in NWA, Fandango arrived at Impact Wrestling, where he is currently signed to.

Despite his release from WWE in 2021, Breeze reportedly remained under the company’s payroll. While it’s unclear if Breeze has any specific wrestling-related provisions in this deal, he is seemingly prohibited from appearing on AEW programming. In the meantime, though, Breeze continues to serve as a co-trainer at the Flatbacks wrestling school alongside AEW star Shawn Spears. He is also a regular guest on Xavier Woods’ UpUpDownDown YouTube channel. 

After a two-year wrestling hiatus, Breeze finally made his return to the ring on July 8, where he won the aforementioned NGW Championship.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Fandango Provides Update Following Surgery

fandango wwe injured fashion police

Fandango recently suffered a torn labrum which required surgery. He was in Birmingham, Alabama yesterday for the procedure and it was said to be a success. Fandango was happy to report his status update via social media and thank everyone for their support.

Fandango’s tag team partner, Tyler Breeze, was asked how he will deal with his partner’s absence. One fan was especially blunt when he asked Breeze if he was ready for six months of being treated like an enhancement talent until his partner comes back.

Breeze responded asking if the fan meant the last three years instead, referencing the team’s frequent losses. Breezango’s last match was in late June on Main Event where they partnered with Bobby Roode to defeat The Ascension and Curt Hawkins in a six-man tag match.

During a recent interview with The Gorilla Position, Fandango opened up about wanting to transition out of the team’s comedic personas and take part in more in-ring action.

“We are not completely comedy and backstage characters, but a little bit of The Files and a little bit of time in the ring. I think we wrestled about 4-5 times by the end of the year last year so this year we are hoping for a little more in-ring time, which I think would be great.”

Source: WrestlingINC

Fandango Injured, Could Be Out Of Action For 6 Months

fandango wwe injured fashion police

WWE announced Fandango has suffered a shoulder injury.

WWE.com reports ‘Dango suffered a left labrum tear in his shoulder and surgery is required. No additional information was made available on when the injury occurred.

Fandango tweeted on Sunday morning saying he could be out of action for 6 months or longer.

https://twitter.com/WWEFandango/status/1015928979373600768