Claudio Castagnoli Hints At Two AEW Stars He Wants Matches With
Claudio Castagnoli feels like a kid that's never left a candy store while in AEW. The former Cesaro surprised the wrestling world by being Bryan Danielson's hand-picked mystery opponent against Zack Sabre Jr. at Sunday's Forbidden Door event. The newest member of Blackpool Combat Club joined the post-show media scrum following the event and was asked by Wrestling Inc. Managing Editor Nick Hausman if he has a short list of dream opponents he'd like to face.
"I was so excited to share the ring tonight with Zack Sabre Jr.," Castagnoli started. "I wrestled him last time in 2009. There's just so many guys that I've known for years – Orange Cassidy, for example, is one of them. We're not talking about the one that yells and screams all the time like a little kid.
"It's just, to me, what is most important is the fans are excited, right? Who do you want to see me wrestle next? That, to me, was always the important thing. Who is my dream opponent? I don't care. Who do you guys want to see me wrestle, right? And here, in AEW, all that stuff can happen, you know?"
Castagnoli notes all the injuries that have taken place lately, and one of the names he brings up is Kenny Omega. He last wrestled "The Cleaner" in the opening match at ROH Final Battle in 2008 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.
"I think we've grown a lot since then, so, you know, that's just worth a mention. I can just name really anybody I run into the locker rooms and backstage. Again, I can probably give you a short list of who I don't want to step in the ring with and that is nobody."
Castagnoli has faced some of the talent on the current AEW roster including two of his Blackpool Combat Club brothers in Danielson and Moxley, but the possibilities seem endless for the "Swiss Superman" looking to create some dream matches for the fans.
"I'm a kid in a candy store, and you know when you go shopping and they tell you, 'Pick whatever,' and you just stand there and you're like, 'Uhh, uhh, I don't know what to pick?' That's what that is. I just come in here and I don't know if you can tell, but I'm very happy, and it just fits.
"This is my first night here and I feel like I've been here for years. It just fits, it's awesome," he said.