Backstage News On Claudio Castagnoli Signing With AEW

At last night’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view, Claudio Castagnoli debuted as the newest member of William Regal’s Blackpool Combat Club, replacing the injured Bryan Danielson in a victory against Zack Sabre Jr. However, AEW initially had a different plan in place for the incoming Swiss wrestler, according to Fightful Select.

While the original plans for Castagnoli’s AEW debut weren’t specified, the report noted that AEW had already prepared merchandise and promotional material for the former Cesaro prior to Sunday’s AEW X NJPW crossover event. Furthermore, the duration of Castagnoli’s contract was described as “long term” but Fightful couldn’t confirm if he had put pen to paper yet. Castagnoli had been spotted training at the Flatbacks Wrestling School in Orlando, which is owned by AEW star Shawn Spears and former WWE star Tyler Breeze, multiple times over the last several weeks.

Castagnoli was reportedly backstage “throughout the night” Sunday, which would mean the locker room was aware of his debut. In contrast, Bryan Danielson’s debut was kept under wraps at last year’s All Out pay-per-view, with Danielson admittedly spending much of the night waiting in the production truck until he stepped out during the main event segment.

Less than four nights after his AEW debut, Castagnoli will be in action again this Wednesday on “AEW Dynamite” when he teams up with Interim AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz in a “Blood & Guts” match against The Jericho Appreciation Society. During the closing stages of Forbidden Door, Castagnoli was confronted by Kingston, who didn’t appear very pleased to be on the same team as his old CHIKARA and PWG rival. Castagnoli would take to Twitter later to comment on his AEW debut, as seen below.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Cesaro Parts Ways With WWE Following Contract Expiration

Swiss Superstar Cesaro (Claudio Castagnoli) is officially a free agent.

For the fist time in 11 years, Cesaro is a free agent.

According to Mike Johnson at PW Insider, Cesaro (real name Claudio Castagnoli) has officially parted ways with WWE after the two parties failed ot come to terms on a new deal. Cesaro’s existing WWE contract has now expired, meaning he is free to work elsewhere for the first time since 2011. Per Johnson, as Cesaro’s deal expired, the 90-day non-compete clause doesn’t apply.

The 41-year-old Swiss wrestler made his pro-wrestling debut in December of the year 2000 for German promotion wXw. Castagnoli became a permanent resident of the United States after obtaining a green card in a green card lottery which enabled him to begin performing in the US for popular indie promotions including CHIKARA, Ring Of Honor, CZW, and PWG. On the indies, Castagnoli regular tagged with fellow-former WWE Superstar Chris Hero as The Kings Of Wrestling … could a reunion be on the cards?

Castagnoli signed for WWE in September 2011 and reported for duty at Florida Championship Wrestling, the company’s feeder promotion and NXT precursor. He made his main roster WWE debut in April 2012. Initially, Castagnoli was billed as a rugby player, but that gimmick was soon dropped.

As Cesaro. Castagnoli was constantly and consistently underutilized by WWE. He’s an imposing physical specimen and one of the most gifted in-ring performers to ever set foot in a WWE ring. But sadly, the powers that be were unable to see his potential and his main event opportunities were few and far between.

What The Swiss Superman does next remains to be seen, but he is now one of the hottest free agents in the industry, and it surely won’t be long until he shows up somewhere else. There are still two open spots in AEW’s Face Of The Revolution Ladder Match …

Source: TheSportster

WWE Closing Twitch & Cameo Pages?, AJ Styles Reacts, Paige Talks Unionization

It looks like WWE is in the process of shutting down Twitch & Mixer streaming channels owned by several Superstars. Cameo accounts are also being deactivated.

AJ Styles took to Discord this afternoon and announced that he was suspending his “Stylesclash” accounts on Mixer and Twitch due to WWE’s new policy on unauthorized third party platform activity. Styles thanked his fans for the support and memories. He also said he will be leaving his Discord server up to keep in touch with fans for future happenings.

“@everyone, I want to thank you for all the greatest memories on Mixer and Twitch,” AJ wrote. “I will cherish these memories and I love everyone of you that have made this possible and supported me. As many of you know WWE is making some changes that involve streaming. We will see what the future holds in that regard.

“With that being said I will be suspending Stylesclash stream. This isn’t good bye, but this is see you sometime in the future. We will leave discord open, but since it won’t be monitored we will be making changes. Chris or I will let you know what that looks like once we figure it out. If you see me at the arenas or wherever be sure to let me know you’re part of the phenomenal family. Again this isn’t the end it’s just a pause. Thank you again for your support.”

Mia Yim (Reckoning of RETRIBUTION) announced on Twitter that her “ItsMeSYB” Twitch stream is also being pulled down, right before her scheduled gameplay with Jessamyn Duke.

“Sorry guys, no more stream for the time being. Thank you for making these past few difficult months manageable. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later. [blue heart emoji],” Yim wrote.

Cesaro announced that he was suspending his “Claudio’s Cafe” channel on Twitch today during a stream.

“Well I appreciate everybody spending some time here with me,” Cesaro said. “I don’t know when the next stream is gonna be… I’ll definitely let you guys know. … Thank everybody for spending your time with me here. Thanks for the subs, thanks for the gifts, thanks for the follows. I really do appreciate it. I hope I’ll be back soon, but when? I don’t know. So, yeah… one last race, who are we gonna race today? So yeah, I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

Paige got emotional during one of her Twitch streams this afternoon on her “Saraya Official” channel after finding out about co-workers shutting down their platforms.

“You guys. We have to make this… you guys. There may be a time where I have to stop streaming,” Paige said. “So, I just think in case I walk away, if I have to walk away, let’s make these next two streams crazy. I have to go off. If I have to leave, we make today and Saturday f–king crazy before I have to leave, because it might have to come to that.

Paige continued texting, apparently with co-workers on her phone, and came back to the camera. She was more emotional as she went back to addressing her viewers. She then commented that she “cannot deal” with WWE anymore. She also blamed the company for over-working her, to the point that she suffered the career-ending neck injury during a WWE live event match in December 2017.

“I’ve honestly got to the point where I cannot deal with this company anymore,” Paige said. “So now I have to make a very important decision. I’m f–king tired, man. I broke my f–king neck twice, twice for this company, over f–king worked. I broke my neck twice for this company and all I wanted was to… they don’t realize that this community isn’t just about f–king subs. It isn’t about that. It isn’t about that. We built a wonderful community, a wonderful f–king family where this is an escape for a lot of people, including myself.

“I can’t wrestle anymore, I was worked so hard in WWE that I can’t wrestle anymore. My neck is f–ked, my whole dream got taken away from me, dude, and I had to have something that fulfilled even a small part of that huge f–king void that I lost with wrestling. A huge f–king void. I couldn’t wrestle anymore, something I lived, breathed, f–king s–t wrestling since I was a fetus, dude, and it got ripped away from me, and I had to find something that even filled a little bit of that. Twitch was such a wonderful thing for me, it’s such a wonderful place for me.”

Paige continued and wondered why WWE is taking away her platform while she just sits at home, unable to wrestle.

“And I understand,” Paige said. “I understand if they’re like, ‘Hey, if you’re wrestling every day, if you’re doing shows every day, if you’re on TV constantly.’ That’s fine, but I’m a f–king injured wrestler. I can’t wrestle anymore. I get used for media stuff sometimes, you know? But at the end of the day I’m in my f–king house. I’m going f–king crazy, dude. I need something to keep me sane, man, and Twitch was my escape from that, you know? Right now I’m just sitting on my f–king ass.”

Paige also brought up her private photos & videos that were leaked on the internet a few years ago, and her failed drug tests, and relationship with former WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio. She also accused WWE of treating her bad.

“I had a terrible couple of years where I had tapes leaked about me, where I popped a couple of drug tests because I was in an abusive f–king relationship, dude,” Paige said. “And that’s the only thing I could f–king do. See, people think I should be thankful that I still have a f–king job, right? And I am, but it doesn’t mean I should be treated like f–king s–t.”

Paige said at one point that she would keep streaming because her neck was taken away twice and she won’t allow WWE to take away her Twitch next. She also mentioned potential unionization in pro wrestling, revealing that she’s been in touch with a unionization lawyer.

“People don’t realize I’m outspoken as f–k,” Paige said. I will say how I feel. I don’t care who you are. I will say how I feel because I don’t like being walked all over. … You know what? I’m gonna start looking more into unionization. I’ve been learning about it by a unionization lawyer.

“This is bigger than Twitch, it’s about taking f–king control of your own life and not being controlled by anyone. I gave ten years, man. I poured my f–king heart and soul into this. I had a bad couple of years like every motherf–ker has. I’m not the only one who is f–king controversial around here, I’m not the only one. It’s f–king louder when it comes to me because I’m a f–king female. I hate using that because I’m a woman but it’s because I’m a woman and women don’t usually stand up for themselves.”

Paige went on and said she will continue to stream for her fans, and see how the situation plays out. Paige said she loves WWE but doesn’t agree with what is being done in regards to the third party activity. She noted that she understands that this is a business decision, and nothing personal, but she still doesn’t have to agree with it. She also noted that she felt sad at first, but now she feels empowered after speaking out on the latest stream. She told fans that she will be speaking out with more of what’s on her mind over the next couple of days.

WWE couple Zelina Vega and Aleister Black also discussed the situation on their “AtoZ” Twitch channel. They reiterated that they are not 100% sure of what will happen to the account as they have not talked to “the office” but they know there will be a conversation on the matter at SmackDown on Friday.

“In all fairness, we don’t know,” Black said. “We don’t know but it’s starting to look like, obviously that this might be the last one for a while. We haven’t been told anything, but obviously tomorrow is TV, and I know that there’s going to be a conversation tomorrow. But, like, it’s not definite, it’s not like this is the last final stream ever.”

Vega added, “Although it could be. I want you to be prepared for that, too.”

Black continued, “It could be but we don’t think it is, but you never know. I think what’s happening is they’re trying to find a way to make it coexist within the WWE Universe and whatever way that they want to do that, I don’t know, and if we agree to that, I don’t know. I literally can’t tell you anything because we don’t know anything.”

“Only because we haven’t been told anything from the office,” Vega added.

Black and Vega acknowledged the statements by Styles and Yim, and said they made those because they were told separately. Vega said it’s their business and she’s not sure if Yim and Styles have had conversations with the office, but she and Black have not.

“I think you can definitely say this is the last one for a while, for at least a while, and I don’t know how long that while is. Obviously tomorrow [at SmackDown] we’re going to get a little more clarity on things, but I don’t know,” Black said.

Like Styles, Black and Vega plan to keep their Discord server open so they can interact with fans.

“I’m just going to be candid,” Vega said. “And just like, we don’t know but we have a good idea, and there’s the whole ‘trying to make it work for everybody’ stage that we’re in right now, and we’re hoping that there is some kind of middle ground. Is there? There may not be because the thing is, that sounds great, you know? And I hope there is. It sounds like middle ground would be awesome, but I also want to prepare people.”

She added, “Because I don’t want to give you guys hope and then slap you guys in the face and go, ‘Sorry!’ You know what I mean?”

“We’re preparing you for both,” Vega said. “We’re preparing you for the, ‘Hey we figured out something and it’s kind of going to be different and it’s going to work somehow.’ But it’s not going to be exactly what this is because I don’t think it’ll ever be this, it’ll be different if there is that, but there’s also the side of, ‘We just have to stop.’ I want you guys to be prepared for both. I just want to be 100% honest with you.”

Black and Vega acknowledged Paige being upfront and honest with her viewers, and not holding anything back. Vega recalled how Paige also said officials have not said anything concrete to her either, but Vega is sure something will happen to the third party activity. Black and Vega also commented on how they built their platform together, with the fans, despite Black being a very private person.

On a related note, several WWE Superstars have deactivated their Cameo accounts as well, and are no longer taking requests from fans. RSN discovered that Big E, Riddle, Kevin Owens and others have all deactivated their Cameo accounts, which were big earners for some wrestlers. There are some WWE Superstars who remain on Cameo, such as Lacey Evans and Mandy Rose, among others. It remains to be seen if their accounts will be deactivated soon like the others.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Cesaro Returning Soon?

WWE announced that Cesaro will be in action next month during the WrestleMania Revenge tour in Europe. They posted the following on Twitter, announcing that Cesaro would be in action at the April 15th live event in Amsterdam, Netherlands at the Ziggo Dome, which would mean that he will most likely be wrestling at the other shows on the tour. Cesaro has been claiming in interviews that he will not be able to make WrestleMania this year.

Cesaro Injured?

Jim Ross revealed on Twitter Sunday that Cesaro may have injured his shoulder and may need surgery:

F4Wonline noted that the injury may have happened last Monday during his match with roman Reigns. Cesaro did however work a quick match at Tuesdays SmackDown tapings. There is no word on whether or not he will need surgery.

Cesaro was scheduled to be in the Traditional Survivor Series match with Neville, The Dudley Boyz & Goldust but was replaced with Titus O’Neil.

Who Printed Out The ‘Cesaro Section’ Signs At Raw?

If you watched this week’s RAW, which took place in San Jose, CA., then surely you noticed all the “Cesaro Section” signs. A fan who attended the show printed them out on his own and passed them out to people in his section. The fan reportedly printed out 7,000 of the signs. Below is a picture that Cesaro posted on Instagram of the section with all the signs:

 

Another fan decided to pay it forward and brought his own signs to this week’s SmackDown tapings. So be looking for the “Cesaro Section” signs tonight on SmackDown. Below is a picture that the fan posted of his signs on Twitter:

Source: http://www.stillrealtous.com

Cesaro Punished For Cena-Orton Criticism?

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In a interview with the Liverpool Echo last week, Cesaro criticized the John Cena VS Randy Orton match.

Cesaro said: “It is a new era of guys. It’s a new generation, and it’s a lot of fun to watch that because there are fresh match-ups. I mean, I’m sick of seeing John Cena against Randy Orton for the 500th time. It’s great that we have some new, young guys that can come out and provide absolutely great match-ups and for the fans there are fresh, exciting matches and things to watch.”

The word behind-the-scene at the moment is that Cesaro is being punished for those comments. Since speaking to the paper, Cesaro was defeated clean by Dolph Ziggler in 2 straight falla at Hell In A Cell & then destroyed by Dean Ambrose the next night on RAW.

This would not be the first time a superstar has been punished for criticizing WWE creative in the public domain.

Scource: Bleacher Report & Wrestling Observer Newsletter

WWE News: Daniel Bryan’s Return, Cesaro & Heyman

20140725-133038.jpg It is reported by F4WOnline that after another surgery soon, Daniel Bryan could possibly make a return at the 2015 Royal Rumble.

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F4WOnline also reports that the split between Cesaro & Paul Heyman is part of a slow build to something bigger, possibly the rumored Cesaro VS Brock Lesnar match.

Source: F4WOnline & Wrestling:

 

Why Cesaro Not Using Swing Finisher

I’m sure you noticed that Cesaro stopped using his giant swing finisher called the Cesaro Swing. PWInsider Elite says WWE officials reportedy recently told Cesaro to quit using the swing move because of how it was getting over with the fans.

Cesaro No Longer A Paul Heyman Guy

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In a segment on RAW last night Cesaro announced he is no longer a Paul Heyman guy. Cesaro told Triple H that he wants to be his guy. Triple h had Cesaro take on Dean Ambrose in order to prove himself. Cesaro won the match by DQ after he was hit with a steel chair by Ambrose.