Claudio Castagnoli is taking the high road in the aftermath of his departure from WWE.
The former Cesaro left the company in February, ending an 11-year run with the promotion. The Swiss star has often been praised for his impressive in-ring skills, and throughout his time with the promotion, fans criticized the way WWE failed to push him as a main-eventer.
In an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Castagnoli reflected on his decision to leave WWE and stated that he’s grateful for everything he accomplished in WWE and for the opportunities the company gave him. He stated that, after he left, he had his sights set on his next goal, but he needed to recharge for a bit before he started chasing it. Now, Claudio is determined to be better than ever.
“It can be hard to take the high road, but that’s the road I am going to take,” Castagnoli said. “All the memories, they matter. I’m grateful for everything I have accomplished and I’m grateful for all those opportunities. And they make me work so much harder to get where I want to be.
“Once I left, I knew what I wanted and where I wanted to go, I just didn’t know if it would happen. That was also time for me to take a break mentally, recharge, and come back better. My goal is always to be better than I was yesterday, to be better tomorrow than I am today. I want to be even better now than people remember.”
Castagnoli’s move to AEW kicked off a new chapter of his career, and he’s thankful to the fans who continue to follow him on this journey. He vowed to take them on a memorable ride from here on out.
“It’s been a long journey, but the fans have stayed with me,” Castagnoli says. “I’m going to take people on a ride they won’t ever forget.”
