Claudio Castagnoli

[9.0] "Physically, he's at peak performance, combining a 6'5", 240-pound powerhouse frame with the agility to occasionally pull off high-flying manoeuvres; impressive for a wrestler of his size and age. In-ring, he's a no-nonsense, hard-hitting competitor whose style emphasizes legitimate strength and combat technique, making every match feel impactful and believable. His work as the enforcer of the Death Riders demonstrates a smart adaptation to his limitations on the mic; his stoic presence sells menace without relying on promo work. He thrives as a heel, generating instant "oh shit! " reactions when introduced into a match or angle, though he remains competent in face roles. Promos are his only minor weakness, but even these are far from catastrophic. Overall, Claudio combines technical mastery, physical dominance, and psychological presence to remain one of wrestling's most reliable and compelling performers."

[9.0] "At the ripe-for-a-wrestler age of 45, Claudio has found his stride & is still kicking ass at a level to be expected of somebody 35 years old. He's actively aware that his promos are his Achilles' heel, & he's done a good job working around this in a strong, silent enforcer role for the Death Riders. His physique is among the best I've seen. His matches are no nonsense & hard-hitting. His style heavily leans into strength accolades, legitimate combat techniques, & he has even shown the ability to do fleeting, rare high-flying stuff, should the situation call for it (with a 6.5ft, 240lbs body, no less! ). During his time in AEW, he's shown that he can have a good match with just about anybody. When Claudio is dropped into a situation, it is more often than not that the vibe is "Oh shit! ", & I feel like he's better at playing heel than face. As mentioned, his promos are the only thing I can knock him for; & even then, they're certainly not "Tommy Wiseau from The Room" levels of awful."

[9.0] "Man, what a wrestler. Since his ROH times until the point when he became THE guy at WWE that everyone loved and thought that he should be pushed into the moon. I always thought that Claudio was a hell of a wrestler, but honestly I don't see him as a primary focus for any promotion in the world. For example, if you're WWE, you should prefer having Seth Rollins in a WrestleMania Main Event over Cesaro, even knowing he is much better than Rollins at the square area. With that being said, he is the favorite wrestler of YOUR favorite wrestler, so put some respect on that mfks name."

[6.0] "I guess all the major promotions knew Claudio Castagnoli is a mid card wrestler and that's about it. He has ZERO charisma and his promos are laughable for someone who's been in the ring for 25 years. His in ring work has also dropped lately"

[10.0] "Claudio is one of my favorites wrestlers of all time. He's great in the ring, he's freakishly strong, has an intimidating presents, and the fans love him. His promo work is fine and I wish he would stop being in teams/factions, but that doesn't stop me from loving him. I remember I attended a live event in 2015 where he looked directly at me and tossed his shirt at me, at the time. I hope Claudio receives a big push in AEW soon"

[7.0] "I love his style in the ring. He really is a fantastic worker and I can't really ask for much more in the ring. He's right up my alley as far as that goes. That being said. I find him boring. He has never pulled off interesting character work. He has never been interesting in a promo. He gives me little reason to want to watch his matches other than his wrestling ability in itself. Still a 7 to me though. His wrestling ability carries nearly all the weight of that score."

[10.0] "One of my favorite wrestlers of all time. He is such a PERFECT wrestler. One of the strongest athletes in wrestling history. Deserved to be World Champion in the WWE, especially in 2021. I love seeing Claudio wrestle in AEW, his physique has been AMAZING for decades."

[6.0] "Possibly the most overrated wrestler of all time. At least by fans, companies usually rate him as a tag/midcard act and that's definitely his ceiling. One of the worst promos of all time with no memorable character work and no It Factor. I distinctly remember him having a main event push against Roman, and as soon as WWE teased Seth vs Roman everyone forgot about his existence. Still, he is a very good midcard hand with a solid look and he is best utilized in a tag team imo."

[10.0] "Claudio is one of those people that you can put in the ring with literally anyone and he'll have a good match and make them look good. He's honestly a lot like Sheamus, which is ironic since they were a tag team for a few years, and a great one, no less. His role as the underboss for the BCC and Death Riders has been wonderful in AEW."

[10.0] "While Claudio wasted most of his prime in WWE, he still had a good run before that and afterwards. A great wrestler who can do everything inside the ring, Claudio is the classic example of someone who can deliver a good match no matter what."

[7.0] "not a bad wrestler, but a little overrated, and also pretty boring! he's not very good at hardcore matches, mic skills or Storylines. for me he's a bit higher than average. but he's that kinda wrestler that every wrestling company need, to have such a work ethic and be a pretty good mid carder. personally, I've barely enjoyed any of his matches, and I think he better competes in tag team contests."

"I think he is so underrated because of his time in WWE, i really liked him in ROH and in general i think he is one of the best ring workers of the 21th century. Yes you can say everything about his mic skills, but i personally would buy a ticket for an AEW show Just to see one of his matches solely because how physical and technical his matches could get. I hope to see him in the upcoming All In, me and a friend of mine Are planning to spend some time in London just around the All In season, And i really hope that he would be on the card."

[7.0] "He's been underrated for so long that he's become kind of overrated. Incredible athlete, solid worker and one of those wrestlers with a certainly powerful aura, I've never seen a truly memorable Claudio match nonetheless, and he's quite bad on the mic. Overall good wrestler and great on his best day, but not quite as the iwc would want you to believe"

[9.0] "While Claudio isn't the best on the mic, that's the only thing I can knock him for. He works as a heel and a babyface, and he can work well with people of all different styles. His work as ROH Champion and his main event mini-run in 2021 WWE showed that he has what it takes to be a top champion."

[7.0] "How WWE didn't make a million dollars off this man confuses me. Claudio Castagnoli has a heel main event look. He's one of the better wrestlers in the world, he's not as spry as he used to be but he's still good. His promos are shitty, which is why you would put him with a manager who can get heat for him. He still has charisma despite the crappy mic skills. Why he never at least became a WWE champion at least once in his career remains a mystery-- I thought Vince McMahon liked big guys!"

"[9.0] this guy was so good WWE wasted him in his younger years. definitely could of been a world champ around 2013-15. Great wrestler and could do a good job on the mic too"

[8.0] "Obviously a top guy in the ring but there's just something about him that makes me tune out, a bit boring and hard to really get behind as a fan favourite, Like I said, it's great to watch him in the ring at times but overall his matches are a bit of a snooze"

"My all time favourite wrestler that got me in to wrestling in 2009. His US title run in the WWE was my favourite thing ever."

[9.0] "Criminal that WWE let him leave and never strapped a rocket to him. He was insanely over, charismatic, a freakishly strong athlete who legitimately was one of the all-time best in-ring talents. Hopefully AEW utilizes him better tho I don't hold my breath. He deserves to be World Champion"

[9.0] "Claudio Castagnoli is one of the most technically gifted and physically impressive wrestlers of this generation. His in-ring precision, freakish strength, and versatility allow him to work with any style, from lucha to strong style to classic American storytelling. Whether he's in a tag team or solo, Claudio brings intensity and professionalism every time. He's been underrated by major companies in the past, but true fans and peers know how elite he really is. The "King of Swing" is a masterclass in consistency and work ethic."

[7.0] "Oddly, after years of "Cesaro is underrated" he got a chance to potentially break out in AEW and has seemed largely to be less expressive and a worse promo than he ever was in WWE where he was consistently described by management as bland. Being locked in the Death Riders story hasn't done him any favors but Claudio feels like he's frustratingly backslid just when the moment was ripe to prove his mettle. He's still one of the most physically gifted workers around, strong in all the right, actually practical ways, but a man I'd once easily rate an 8 or even 9 seems like nothing more than a good TV worker."

[7.0] "A bit overrated but still a highly skilled worker. He's nothing too interesting as a personality but still a good technician, where he has honestly one of my favorite finishers out there with the uppercut. Give him a faction to hide behind like the Death Riders and he's a pretty perfect piece for a promotion."

[9.0] "Has shown some of the most impressive feats of strength I've ever seen in pro wrestling. A long career in several promotions with a ton of very good matches, but just a bit shy from the all time greats. Haven't had a chance to be a top level guy in a big promotion, but really strong upper-midcarder."

[7.0] ""Underrated" is the go-to term for Claudio. I don't think he is. He is physically very impressive and can do some great things in the ring but he is far from the complete package. He is almost devoid of charisma and some of his best stuff came when he was tagged with someone better charismatically"

[7.0] "Claudio Castagnoli is a wrestling technician and powerhouse, blending incredible strength with precision and agility. His seamless transitions, hard-hitting strikes, and unmatched feats of power--like the giant swing--make him a must-watch performer in the ring. Whether in WWE, ROH, or AEW, he consistently delivers outstanding matches, excelling in both singles and tag team competition. His versatility, work ethic, and in-ring intelligence solidify him as one of the most respected wrestlers today. However, his promo work leaves a lot to be desired and I think this has stopped him getting a real push outside of a tag-team or a stable."

[7.0] "(I am only judging what I saw. Which means I'm mostly focusing on his WWE stuff.) Now I like Cesaro. I do. I think he is a fantastic worker and has had plenty of solid work. I think his stuff with Sheamus in the Bar were great! And I do think he had plenty of physical charisma..: not enough though for me to excuse his promos. From what I have seen of his promos, he was abysmal. He just couldn't talk I'm sorry. But I will say I think he is a phenomenal wrestler and I do enjoy him a considerable bit."

[10.0] "An incredibly underrated wrestler. In WWE he deserved so much more than he got and in AEW he is getting better treatment. He is an absurd wrestler in the ring."

[7.0] "Solid upper midcarder. He will always hold his end in the ring but he has a ceiling. He is perfect in his gatekeeper role and all companies need men like him. I don't want to be condescending because I always pop for his swing but I never saw him as world champ."

[8.0] "The Swiss Superman is definitely considered the most underrated Wrestler in IWC. A Jack of all Trades with a history of pulling off immense feats of strength who has improved slightly on the mic. Either in AEW or WWE, Claudio has World Champion Material written all over him, the trigger needs to be pulled especially with his catalog of match-quality to back it up."

[7.0] "I jdon't get this guy. He is a competent enough worker and rarely delivers poor match but I just find his offence to be very limited and restricted to 101 different variations of an uppercut. Add to that that he has never really had a memorable gimmick and the fact that his early indie work was generic and a bit bland and I think a 7 from me is quite a generous rating!"

[8.0] "Very surprised his ranking is as high as it is. Yes technically a good wrestler and only recently did his promo skills improve. However, I believe 8 is more accurate for his scores. WWE made a mistake in getting rid of the Cesaro section and AEW is really dropping the ball with him right now. A lackey in a horribly formed group (Death Riders)."

[10.0] "What an amazing athlete and wrestler, yet another wrestler that I wished went far in WWE, he had most of the tools, but personality or mic work, but damn, he should've been a world champion in WWE, I mean Bret Hart got away with being a world champion in 1995 because he had the in-ring work. But this man's strength and work is a joy to watch."

[9.0] "An amazing wrestler, impressive wrestling skills, his feats of strength are always a must-watch, his problem is that he didn't have a character or personality to make him stand out, but for me it wasn't a big problem about him, but looks like it was for his career sadly"

[7.0] "Claudio is an amazing wrestler, with his feats of strength always being a highlight in his matches. However, he has always lacked a character or personality that makes him stand out from your average wrestler. His best work all around always comes when he is paired up with someone else."

[5.0] "This may be an unpopular opinion, but I've always considered Claudio Castagnoli to be severely overrated, as he never truly managed to stand out. While he doesn't have outright bad matches and is a solid, dependable worker, I always find myself wishing for more from him in nearly every aspect. I can't help but roll my eyes every time he performs the swing in a match, especially when he wins with it. He works best in a tag team or faction, but as a singles wrestler, I just can't fully get behind him."

[8.0] "He's got a great look, he's hot as hell, he works his ass off, and him and Moxley make a great team. Haven't seen that extra spark that pushed him into the upper tier for me (maybe a bit lacking in the charisma deptartment) but always happy to see Claudio spinning around in the ring."

[8.0] "Claudio is a terrible promo, but his wrestling is very good. I can't recall him ever having a bad match in WWE or AEW. While he's not somebody you would build a company around, I imagine most wrestling promotions would love to have somebody as reliable as Claudio in their midcard."

[8.0] "If Claudio had better character work and promos he might be one of the greatest of all time. As it is, he is *merely* very good. A pleasure to watch in the ring, effortlessly athletic, his strength allows him (and his opponents) to pull of some amazing spots."

[9.0] "Claudio is a VERY good wrestler, but not great enough at connecting with the live crowd to be a 10. He's as impressive a physical person who has ever competed in a wrestling ring, and probably capable of more than 99% of people to ever step through the ropes. Only thing keeping him from being a 10 is that level of charisma that makes the all time greats all time greats"

[9.0] "Claudio is hyper-talented and surely one of the most impressive. His movepool is out of the ordinary and he's capable of all kinds of feats. He's athletic, powerful, fast, agile and possesses an intelligence of the ring and of wrestling. He knows how to adapt to his opponent while retaining his in-ring personality. His only misfortune is his very limited acting talent and the promos that are not easy for him to deliver. If he had an effective manager, he could climb to the top. He deserves a lot of recognition."

[10.0] "A very good performer, I like a lot him moveset. I hope he will win something in All Elite he deserve it a lot"

[8.0] "A very very good wrestler, but outside of that I don't know if I can rate him higher than an 8. Claudio is so gifted and he makes everything look so easy, but I don't think he has much else going for him outside of how good he is at doing wrestling."

[9.0] "Claudio is very talented for his size. He's tall, strong, and very technical. Has one of the best uppercuts. Weather its on the indies, WWE, or AEW he always deliver in his matches. He is the guy you can depend on to have good matches. Premier athlete and top tier wrestler."

"Claudio is really good. His strength and timing is nearly unmatched and he looks as creditable anybody else."

[6.0] "I've never gotten the hype, he's fine in the ring, but that's all he is. He has no character, no promo ability, nothing special beside he's apparently strong boy, he should be like an 8.5 rating at the highest on this site but apparently not... I will give him enough credit to say that he shouldve been IC champ in WWE, but ROH champ was a no go for me. and even then, I still don't even believe he was really worth pushing and barely worth signing in AEW while there's plenty of untapped potential out on the indi scene."

[7.0] "Great wrestler with an impressive physique and a great sense of storytelling that you don't hear anything bad about personally. Unfortunately, he was never going to be a guy who wins a world title due to his lack of personality and an inability to cut a convincing promo. He's still a solid hand to have on the card and is a guy who can be a force in the secondary title picture because he can literally work with anyone. He reminds me alot of a taller version of Chris Benoit or Dynamite Kid."

[9.0] "Claudio is one of the most incredible wrestlers of his generation, what a fantastic talent, he's built different, in ring he's almost perfect, his size, his posture, his strength... everyone says he's one of the strongest guys in the business, and he shows that in the ring, he lifts any wrestler like it's nothing, he's a freak. I can't comprehend how Claudio was so undervalued at a huge part of his career, to he point he became of the most underrated wrestlers of all time, but when he has the platform to shine, few people can put so much quality into a match than him, very unique superstar, his supposed lack of charisma shouldn't be a factor, the guy is amazing."

[7.0] "Great wrestler, but very dull on the mic and has no real gimmick that makes him stand out. He's a guy you book against your top stars so they can look good. I never understood why some fans were obsessed with Cesaro being pushed harder back in the day. One of the few times Vince was right. Hes a decent midcard guy like Paul London or Shelton Benjamin."

[10.0] "He continues to have amazing matches consistently. This is what he's been doing since 2006. Tag team, singles, battle royals, there's not much he can't do. I enjoy his promos too. No, he's not Jake Roberts but when he was finally allowed to be himself and talk, he delivered. Besides, catchphrases are fun but you don't need it to be remembered. He really should have had a major title run by now but Curt Hennig never really did either and that's the company I put Claudio in when it comes to skill."

[7.0] "in ring he's top level wrestler which for me is good however he really has not had the platform to be the guy and put on 30 minute bangers, granted whether it be with WWE or AEW he's taken every opportunity he's been given however I just feel like there's room for more character development."