Several WWE stars were reportedly “shocked” at All Elite Wrestling (AEW) signing Claudio Castagnoli (formerly known as Cesaro).
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that the reason they were shocked was based off of the large offer WWE had made to Castagnoli before he signed with AEW. While this wasn’t a big deal with fans, it certainly was for the talent.
The feeling going around is that AEW must’ve matched or topped WWE’s offer, which came as a surprise considering the belief was that AEW was no longer doing that.
Castagnoli could’ve made a substantial amount of money in WWE, however, the likelihood of a push was very small.
Also, at 41-years-old, Meltzer speculated Castagnoli is likely looking to prove once and for all he can be a top guy before he begins to physically decline with age.
AEW president Tony Khan has noted before that he was a big fan of Castagnoli’s in-ring work and IQ.
Talent Benefitting from Competition between WWE & AEW
With both AEW and WWE willing to pay out the big bucks for more talent, wrestlers have more leverage now than ever before. At one point, WWE was offering talents big money just to keep them locked away, only to have them be released mid-contract.
The landscape of professional wrestling has certainly changed quite a bit in recent months, with the likes of Cody Rhodes leaving AEW for WWE in a big money deal; and the likes of Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson, and now, Claudio Castagnoli, leaving WWE for AEW, it’s a clear indication that it’s a seller’s market at the moment in regards to talent.
All the fun is only likely to continue, with big names like Sasha Banks, Naomi, and Io Shirai also set to hit free agency soon. With both WWE and AEW seemingly financially stable, the madness doesn’t appear to be ending any time soon.