Claudio Castagnoli

Acting

Born Dec 27, 1980

From Lucerne, Switzerland

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.

Claudio Castagnoli

Known For

The Wrestler

WWE WrestleMania 35

WWE WrestleMania 34

WWE WrestleMania 31

WWE WrestleMania XXX

WWE Payback 2014

The Destruction of The Shield

WWE Elimination Chamber 2013

WWE Battleground 2013

WWE Crown Jewel

Filmography — Acting

The Wrestler

WWE WrestleMania 35

WWE WrestleMania 34

WWE WrestleMania 31

WWE WrestleMania XXX

WWE Payback 2014

The Destruction of The Shield

WWE Elimination Chamber 2013

WWE Battleground 2013

WWE Crown Jewel

WWE Royal Rumble 2020

WWE SummerSlam 2015

WWE Survivor Series 2012

WWE Survivor Series 2016

WWE Survivor Series 2013

WWE Survivor Series 2017

WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014

WWE WrestleMania 33

WWE Night of Champions 2012

WWE SummerSlam 2014

My Way: The Life and Legacy of Pat Patterson

WWE WrestleMania 36: Part 1

WWE Survivor Series 2014

AEW All In 2025: Texas

WWE Royal Rumble 2013

WWE Royal Rumble 2015

WWE Super Show-Down 2018

WWE Royal Rumble 2021

WWE TLC: Tables Ladders & Chairs 2012

WWE Extreme Rules 2014

WWE The Best of Raw & SmackDown 2015

WrestleMania 37: Night 1

WWE Battleground 2014

WWE Royal Rumble 2017

WWE Royal Rumble 2019

WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2020

WWE Greatest Royal Rumble

WWE Hell In A Cell 2014

WWE Hell in a Cell 2013

WWE Super ShowDown 2019

WWE: The U.S. Championship: A Legacy of Greatness

WWE Night of Champions 2014

WWE Day 1 2022

WWE Hell In A Cell 2012

WWE Elimination Chamber 2021

WWE Fastlane 2019

WWE Payback 2015

AEW Dynasty 2025

Randy Orton: RKO Outta Nowhere

Daniel Bryan: Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!

WWE Royal Rumble 2018

WWE Payback 2013

WWE Money in the Bank 2013

WWE Hell in a Cell 2021

WWE Hell in a Cell 2016

WWE Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2015

WWE Best of Raw & SmackDown Live 2016

WWE Elimination Chamber 2018

WWE Extreme Rules 2017

WWE Extreme Rules 2019

ROH: Death Before Dishonor 2022

WWE Survivor Series 2021

WWE The Best of Raw and Smackdown Live 2018

AEW Full Gear 2022

WWE Night of Champions 2013

WWE Royal Rumble 2014

AEW Worlds End 2023