Antonio Cesaro

Antonio Cesaro 2013

Claudio Castagnoli (* December 27, 1980 in Lucerne ) is a Swiss professional wrestler. He is currently under contract with WWE and enters the wrestling shows on under the ring name Cesaro.

  • 2.1 Title
  • 2.2 Awards

Wrestling career

Beginnings / Independent

His first match played Castagnoli on 24 December 2000 westside Xtreme wrestling (short wXw ) in Essen discotheque " Roxy " when he took up as Double C against SigMasta Rappo. Castagnoli played several matches at various independent promotions. He mainly occurred in Switzerland and in Germany. On June 24, 2001 Castagnoli won the SWF Powerhouse title at the Swiss Wrestling Federation (SWF). On 3 February 2002 Castagnoli won along with Ares as Swiss Money Holding the wXw tag team title.

First appearances in America

In September 2002, Castagnoli also appeared the first time in the U.S. ( at IWA Mid-South ). A year after his first appearance in the United States returned to the United States where he performed in several independent promotions on. Even there, he joined again with Ares as a tag team SwissMoney Holding. On 27 December 2003 Castagnoli won the wXw -World Heavyweight title. From the autumn of 2003 he entered more regularly in the U.S. and then ceded to Claudio Castagnoli.

Independent

In February 2005 he formed along with Chris Hero, the tag team The Kings Of Wrestling. Since February 2005, he regularly performed in the independent wrestling scene such as Chikara Pro Wrestling. On September 10, 2005 Castagnoli won with Hero the CZW Tag Team titles.

Since August 27, 2005 Castagnoli also belonged to the tribe squad IWA Switzerland, which had been developed also from the former doctoral Swiss Wrestling Federation (SWF). There he held the only, until resolution of the promotion, for 703 days the title of IWA Switzerland Heavyweight Champion.

On 11 June 2006, he was allowed to win the CAPW Unified Heavyweight title even with the U.S. promotion Cleveland All-Pro Wrestling. Together with Chris Hero, he won on September 16, 2006, for the first time ROH World Tag Team Championship.

With Chris Hero Castagnoli took place on 14 October 2006 was the promotion Combat Zone Wrestling ( CZW ) Team Standing Tournament to the CZW Tag Team title at the load. In the final they defeated their opponents Human Tornado & Justice Pain and won the vacant title to 2 times. Castagnoli and Chris Hero were the only wrestlers who simultaneously won the tag team titles from Ring of Honor, Combat Zone Wrestling and CHIKARA Pro Wrestling in 2006.

In October 2006, Castagnoli signed to WWE a development contract and denied a Dark Match at Deep South Wrestling against Kofi Kingston Nahaje. Then Castagnoli should actually compete in Ohio Valley Wrestling. However, the contract was so far not been redeemed for unknown reasons. After a brief appearance on RAW, where he was allowed to be a police officer, he entered again into the international independent scene.

After losing the ROH Tag Team titles dissolving the team Castagnoli - on both Hero and tied in a feud against each other a program. However, after this picture was not accepted as desired by the public, both joined to get back to a tag team ( The Kings of Wrestling ) together.

In 2007, Castagnoli made ​​for several matches a tag team with Matt Sydal. In July 2007, Castagnoli won Ring of Honor at the Race To The Top Tournament and was thus able to definitively establish the Upper Card Ring of Honor.

Castagnoli played from February to early March 2008, his first match in Japan for Pro Wrestling NOAH. There appeared among others, with Chris Hero and Douglas Williams. In June 2008, he appeared at the event wXw wXw / NOAH Dead End VIII. In wXw Castagnoli appeared at the event wXw / CHIKARA Tag World Grand Prix 2008 in September 2008.

In 2009 Castagnoli joined the Stable Embassy (consisting of Prince Nana, Bison Smith, Jimmy Rave, Claudio Castagnoli, Joey Ryan, Erick Stevens, Shawn Daivari, Mr. Ernesto Osiris and Necro Butcher ) in Ring of Honor, before this in September was disbanded in 2010.

In CHIKARA is Castagnoli joined the Stable 2010 The Brotherhood of the Cross at, which also Castagnolis close friend and years of tag-team partner Ares belongs. On March 20, 2010 Castagnoli won with Ares the CHIKARA - Campeonatos de Parejas Championship. In Ring of Honor Castagnoli won 3 April 2010 with Chris Hero again the ROH World Tag Team title. In Pro Wrestling Guerrilla Castagnoli won on 9 October 2010 at PWG The Curse Of Guerrilla Iceland the PWG World title.

WWE

In September 2011, Castagnoli signed a contract with WWE and performed under the name Antonio Cesaro on at the farm league FCW. On April 17, 2012, he debuted on SmackDown.

On August 19, 2012 Castagnoli won at the pre-show of the Summer Slam the United States Champion Santino Marella. On April 15, 2013 in RAW, he lost the title to Kofi Kingston.

Since June 2013 Castagnoli has with Zeb Colter a new manager at his side. With his protégé Jack Swagger he is the tag team of Real Americans. In February 2014 his ring name was shortened to Cesaro.

Achievements

Title

  • WWE
  • Ring of Honor
  • 2x ROH World Tag Team Championship with Chris Hero
  • Westside Xtreme Wrestling
  • 2x wXw World Heavyweight Champion
  • 3x wXw World Tag Team Championship with Ares
  • Combat Zone Wrestling
  • 2x CZW Tag Team Championship with Chris Hero
  • Chikara Pro Wrestling
  • 2x CHIKARA Campeonatos de Parejas Champion 1x with Chris Hero and Ares
  • Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
  • German Stampede Wrestling
  • International Pro Wrestling United Kingdom
  • Juggalo Championship Wrestling
  • Cleveland All-Pro Wrestling
  • IWA Switzerland
  • Swiss Wrestling Federation

Awards

  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Tag Team Of The Year 2010 with Chris Hero

Other / Trivia

  • Castagnoli played himself in the film The Wrestler.
Chikara (professional wrestling) Glossary of professional wrestling terms Evan Bourne SummerSlam
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