AEW star Claudio Castagnoli has been experiencing a remarkable streak lately. Making history as the first AEW wrestler to participate in all three editions of the Continental Classic, he remained undefeated in his first two bouts, triumphing over opponent Orange Cassidy and teammate Jon Moxley of the Death Riders. Additionally, Castagnoli recently secured his third career world championship by beating Gran Guerrero at CMLL Super Viernes, earning the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship.
This win was significant as Castagnoli became only the fifth foreign wrestler to claim the title, the first European champion, and the first non-Mexican holder since Marco Corleone from June 2017 to August 2018. However, he will soon face his first title defense, set for December 19th at Arena Mexico, where he will battle Ultimo Guerrero in a special AEW vs. CMLL “Dream Match.” Although the two are familiar, this marks their first one-on-one encounter. Castagnoli previously defeated Guerrero’s brother, Gran Guerrero, to win the championship and later teamed up with fellow Death Riders to best Ultimo Guerrero and others, making this rematch an intriguing chance for Guerrero to reclaim the title in his quest for a third reign.
The event will also include two more AEW versus CMLL contests featuring other Continental Classic participants: Kevin Knight will face Neon from Sky Team in a singles match, and “Speedball” Mike Bailey will go up against Mascara Dorada, with Dorada’s prestigious welterweight title on the line.
Fan Take: This news is exciting for AEW fans as it highlights Claudio Castagnoli’s rising international prominence and bridges AEW with the prestigious Mexican wrestling promotion CMLL. The upcoming matches promise thrilling cross-promotional battles that could deepen AEW’s global influence and offer fresh, high-stakes storylines for wrestling enthusiasts.
