The Latest On The Future Of Former WWE Star Cesaro
Since Claudio Castagnoli's WWE contract expired back in February, the wrestling world has been wondering what could be next for the former Cesaro.
According to a report on The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Castagnoli is currently "laying low" and remains a free agent, as he is "taking time off for family reasons." The former WWE United States Champion has a young child, which is his primary reason for spending a period away from the ring, but he has trademarked the name CSRO, which potentially indicates a new name.
Right now it's unclear whether or not Castagnoli has received an offer from AEW, but Tony Khan is a fan and has spoken highly of him in the past. Despite many former WWE superstars heading to AEW in recent times, the Observer reports that "with the size of some of the new contracts WWE has given, there is the feeling a guy like Cesaro, in his early 40s, will return because he's comfortable with WWE even though he recognizes he'll never be used on top."
Castagnoli did get a Universal Championship storyline with Roman Reigns at WWE WrestleMania Backlash in 2021 after defeating Seth Rollins in his first-ever WrestleMania singles match at WrestleMania 37, but beyond that, WWE has shown reluctance over the years to push him as a main event star, though he is a seven-time tag team champion in the company.
The one thing that has been confirmed about Castagnoli's future is that the Swiss Cyborg has been in talks with Conrad Thompson in regards to being involved in Starrcast, which is taking place during WWE SummerSlam weekend. A variety of wrestlers have been confirmed for appearances during that event, from Bryan Danielson and Miro, and the event will also include a panel with Johnny Gargano and Ric Flair's final match. The Observer also reports that Castagnoli "has at least considered other projects that he wouldn't be allowed to do if he returned to WWE."
Castagnoli hasn't competed in the ring since the February 11th episode of WWE "SmackDown" earlier this year, when he was defeated by Happy Corbin. One reason for this could be his reportedly high asking price for those who are looking to book him — some promoters have stated that he didn't even respond when they tried to contact him.