"Time for me to take a break mentally" - AEW star Claudio Castagnoli finally opens up about his surprising exit from WWE

AEW star Claudio Castagnoli (fka Cesaro) has finally opened up about his notorious departure from WWE earlier this year.

The Swiss Superman and Vince McMahon's company quietly parted ways on February 24, 2022 after the two sides failed to reach a new agreement. A few months later, the 41-year-old stormed into the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view.

That night, he replaced the injured Bryan Danielson and triumphed over Zack Sabre Jr. in one of the most memorable in-ring debuts in the company's short history. A week later, the newest addition to The Blackpool Combat Club helped the faction overcome The Jericho Appreciation Society in a Blood and Guts match.

Speaking to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Claudio reminisced about his decade-long journey with WWE and stated that he feels grateful for the opportunities given to him:

"It can be hard to take the high road, but that’s the road I am going to take,” Castagnoli says, opting not to criticize his former employer. “All the memories, they matter. I’m grateful for everything I have accomplished and I’m grateful for all those opportunities. And they make me work so much harder to get where I want to be"

The veteran also revealed that he needed some time to prepare himself mentally and physically after his WWE exit:

“Once I left, I knew what I wanted and where I wanted to go, I just didn’t know if it would happen. That was also time for me to take a break mentally, recharge, and come back better. My goal is always to be better than I was yesterday, to be better tomorrow than I am today. I want to be even better now than people remember," he added.

---

Claudio Castagnoli will be in action on AEW Dynamite: Fyter Fest (Week 1)

Claudio Castagnoli will aim to continue his winning momentum when he faces Jake Hager on the Fyter Fest edition of AEW Dynamite tonight.

The two men exchanged blows during the Blood and Guts match to reignite an old rivalry. Back in 2013-14, Hager and Castagnoli were part of "The Real Americans" managed by Dutch Mantell (fka Zeb Colter) in WWE.

The duo didn't get along for much longer and eventually broke up after WrestleMania XXX.

The two men then fought in consecutive singles matches until the next year, with The Swiss Superstar getting the upper hand most of the time.

Almost seven years later, fate has brought Jake Hager and Claudio Castagnoli under the same roof again. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in one of the must-see matchups on AEW Dynamite this week.