On a mission to cement his standing as one of the best in the world, Claudio Castagnoli will defend the Ring of Honor world title on pay-per-view Friday night.
Only two days removed from AEW’s signature Blood & Guts match, Castagnoli returns to the ring at Death Before Dishonor in a match against Pac.
“I have something to prove,” says Castagnoli. “Pac has something to prove. We haven’t wrestled in almost 10 years, and I’m excited to meet him in the ring one more time.”
The bout was set up when Pac deserted Castagnoli and the rest of the Blackpool Combat Club during the Blood & Guts match on Dynamite, which played a factor in their loss to The Elite. Living up to its moniker, the double ring, double cage match set a ferocious pace.
Overflowing with a cacophony of violence, there was a scattering of shattered glass in one ring and a pool of thumbtacks in the other. There was also a bed of nails, an apparatus not regularly featured in mainstream American pro wrestling.
Only the third iteration in AEW history, this edition set a new standard for the Blood & Guts match.
“It was the spectacle of blood and guts that people expected, and even exceeded that,” says Castagnoli, sipping on a cup of coffee a day after wrestling the entire 51-minute match. “We had modifications from last year with the separate entrances, which helped. There’s only been two other of these matches in AEW, but I thought it delivered.”
The Elite won the match, reaching extreme heights of viciousness. That is not necessarily the calling card for Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, “Hangman” Adam Page or Kota Ibushi, making the performance even more distinct for the group. So even though the BCC, Castagnoli believes they made their point by forcing The Elite to play by their rules.
“That’s what we wanted to come across,” says Castagnoli. “We lost that battle but we won the war. Thanks to the Blackpool Combat Club, now The Elite is better than ever. We brought them to a place they’ve never been.
“The post-match between the BCC and The Elite, with Kenny talking and we all shook hands, that probably should have been on television, but it shows that there is nothing like being there in-person. There is nothing like being there live.”
Unfortunately, a broken arm prevented Bryan Danielson from wrestling. Even though Pac and Konosuke Takeshita added to the match by teaming with Castagnoli, Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta, the BCC was missing an integral part.
“Danielson changes the whole dynamic of the match,” says Castagnoli. “Obviously he was missed, but we worked to get people immersed in what we were doing in the ring.”
Castagnoli was honored to wrestle in the match. This was the second straight appearance in the Blood & Guts match for the 23-year veteran of the craft, and he was genuinely amazed by what was unfolding around him.
“This is my livelihood,” says Castagnoli. “I’m very proud of what I do, and I always want to put the best product forward. I am very focused during matches, but I was in awe when Mox slammed Kenny on the nail bed. I had to remind myself, ‘This is really happening.’ But I can’t let my guard down because that’s how you get hurt. There was a nail bed, thumbtacks, broken glass, tables, chairs and a giant cage. I couldn’t lose my focus.
“A lot of people pay good money to see us live. I’ll never give them less than 100% every single time I step through that curtain. That’s why I respect the BCC so much. Wheeler won’t say this, but he had a very hurt hamstring. He couldn’t run, but you couldn’t tell that during the match. Mox is energy and pure joy despite the pain, and it was inspiring to see Bryan working 10 minutes with a broken arm at Forbidden Door. Those are the people I want to surround myself with.”
Castagnoli did not wear his ROH world title belt to the ring, though that was for practical purposes (“The focus was on Blood & Guts,” he says. “It was also a giant cage, so I didn’t know where to put the belt. But I wanted to focus solely on Blood & Guts”), but he will be wearing it tonight at Death Before Dishonor.
The title defense was initially set to be Castagnoli against Mark Briscoe. Those plans changed when Briscoe suffered a significant knee injury, necessitating a new opponent. After failing to get on the same page during the Blood & Guts match, Castagnoli challenged Pac to a title match, which he accepted.
“He calls himself ‘the bastard Pac,’ so maybe it’s my fault for trusting him,” says Castagnoli. “This is my chance to teach him a lesson.”
Over eight years have passed since their last singles bout, which took place in WWE. They also wrestled two singles matches in 2007 on the indies in Chikara and PWG. This will be their most prominent meeting, as well as a chance to prove they belong in the main event.
“Me and Pac are very similar on many levels, especially the extreme pride in what we do,” says Castagnoli. “We are always trying to be better every single match.
“There is a saying in German that says talking is silver, silence is golden. Essentially, you need to show people. We’re not telling people about it in promos. We’re doing the work in our matches. Maybe that means sometimes we’re forgotten. But I think Pac is incredible, one of the best 10 wrestlers in the world.”
Castagnoli has long aspired to be in this position as the centerpiece atop a company. The possibility also exists that he can eventually become AEW champion. But his focus is on the present, putting his body on the line to ensure his match at Death Before Dishonor is one people cannot miss.
“We need to live in the moment and recognize there is so much great wrestling right now,” says Castagnoli. “This is a great card top to bottom, and Pac is a great opponent—he has all the talent in the world. But this is my title, and this is my chance to prove why I belong at the top.”
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
