Claudio Castagnoli not too long ago talked with Chris Van Vliet at Starrcast V, and the AEW and ROH star opened up on his determination to depart WWE and the way Johnny Gargano’s ultimate NXT promo impacted him. Here is what Castagnoli needed to say (by way of Fightful):
Claudio Castagnoli on leaving WWE and the way Johnny Gargano’s ultimate NXT promo impacted him: “Numerous thought, really. I could have felt for some time that I wanted a change. Main as much as it, there have been a bunch of indicators. A bunch of stuff that totally different individuals mentioned the place they might haven’t even realized that they mentioned it that form of helped me make up my thoughts. One of many issues was Johnny Gargano’s final promo in NXT the place he mentioned to ‘all the time guess on your self.’ That was like perhaps the final straw. ‘Yup, he is 100% proper.’ It was a variety of issues main as much as it. I did not need to make a giant deal out of it as a result of lots of people do. When Cody left the primary time, he made that listing of who he wished to wrestle. After that, everyone made an inventory. It was the brand new favourite factor.
“I wished to do it otherwise. I am in opposition to the grain lots. ‘All people is doing this, let me strive to do that over right here.’ I felt it was higher that approach as a result of I figured if I need to hold wrestling and I pop up someplace, it may be a much bigger shock. Wrestling is all about moments and if I’d have been like, ‘Alright, I am leaving,’ then individuals would have identified and it will have been, ‘Okay, I am gonna present up someplace.’ If it is quiet then it is ‘what is going on to occur? When is it going to occur?’ That is the sweetness in wrestling. You need to be shocked. Sure, you need to know, however you additionally love being shocked. To me, that is a vital factor. You do know, perhaps, however there’s all the time that doubt. That is what makes magic occur. I really feel I am extra motion than speaking.”
On the largest causes he determined to depart WWE for AEW: “There was a pair. One of many issues was, there are such a lot of people who I need to be within the ring with at AEW and Ring of Honor. I’ve matches for the following 12 months that I need to do. Whereas there are nonetheless guys in WWE that I have not wrestled that I need to wrestle, that quantity is lower than at AEW. At my core, I all the time need to enhance and get higher and have new challenges. After I first went from Ring of Honor to WWE, I did not accomplish that to be on TV or something. For me, it was the logical subsequent step. I had performed lots in Ring of Honor, what is the subsequent step and subsequent problem, the very best guys. Similar factor right here, what is the subsequent step, the following problem? AEW has been superior. I had just about the very best first month I might have dreamt of.”
