
Claudio Castagnoli
- Date of Birth: 1980-12-27
- Place of Birth: Lucerne, Switzerland
Biography
Claudio Castagnoli is a Swiss professional wrestler, best known for his tenure in WWE under the ring name Cesaro (shortened from Antonio Cesaro). Prior to signing with WWE, Castagnoli wrestled under h... Claudio Castagnoli is a Swiss professional wrestler, best known for his tenure in WWE under the ring name Cesaro (shortened from Antonio Cesaro). Prior to signing with WWE, Castagnoli wrestled under his real name in Ring of Honor (ROH) and various independent promotions, including Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), and Pro Wrestling Noah (NOAH). Castagnoli is an accomplished tag team wrestler, being a two-time ROH World Tag Team Champion with his partner Chris Hero (as "The Kings of Wrestling;" their 364-day reign as champions was the longest in ROH history up to that time). As Cesaro, he held 7 tag team titles in WWE: a two-time WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champion, and a five-time WWE (Raw) Tag Team Champion. Castagnoli has also held various independent tag team titles, such as the Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas, the JCW Tag Team Championship, and the CZW World Tag Team Championship. The Kings of Wrestling (the tag team he had with Chris Hero) were voted the 2010 Tag Team of the Year by Wrestling Observer Newsletter readers. He has additionally had success as a singles wrestler, being a one-time WWE United States Champion, the winner of the inaugural André the Giant Memorial Trophy at WrestleMania XXX, and a one-time PWG World Champion. When playing a villainous character, particularly in the United States, Castagnoli has been known to emphasize his European origin as part of his gimmick, proclaiming a superior intellect and fashion sensibility while regularly using moves such as the European uppercut. He gained a reputation for impressive in-ring feats of strength, and was called one of WWE's best and most underrated performers for much of his time there. He was even voted Most Underrated Wrestler in the world, for a record four years in a row (2013–2016), by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

PWG: It's A Gift...And A Curse
• 2008 April

ROH: Clash of The Contenders
• 2009 October

ROH: Southern Navigation
• 2008 May

ROH: Ring of Homicide
• 2006 May

Smosh's Try Not to Laugh
Comedy • 2016 December

ROH: The 100th Show
• 2006 April

PWG: 2011 Battle of Los Angeles
• 2011 August

CHIKARA Tag World Grand Prix 2005 - Night 3
• 2005 February

PWG: Zombies (Shouldn't Run)
• 2005 August

ROH: Gut Check
• 2006 August