Claudio Castagnoli Reflects On ROH Title Match Against Jonathan Gresham

Claudio Castagnoli has quickly become one of AEW's top stars following his debut at AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door. From winning the second-ever Blood & Guts match for his team on June 29 to his first ROH World Championship defense against DDT Pro Wrestling star Konosuke Takeshita at Battle of the Belts III, Castagnoli has enjoyed an incredible start to his time as a member of the AEW and ROH rosters. Perhaps the most notable match for Castagnoli since his WWE departure earlier this year, however, was his bout at Ring of Honor's Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view against the former ROH World Champion, Jonathan Gresham.

When asked by Bleacher Report about challenging Gresham for the ROH World Title, Castagnoli was incredibly gracious to both his opponent and for the opportunity to fight for the championship. "I was excited to wrestle Jonathan Gresham for it. He kept that title alive during a very difficult time with Ring of Honor when it was kind of uncertain," Castagnoli said, referencing Gresham's time holding the championship while ROH went into an indefinite hiatus before Tony Khan's eventual purchase of the company.

Castagnoli's victory over Gresham marked the first time the "Swiss Superman" has won a singles championship in Ring of Honor, or a recognized world championship of any kind. Despite spending over half a decade with ROH in the late 2000s and being a member of one of the most successful tag teams in the company's history — the Kings of Wrestling, alongside Chris Hero — Castagnoli was unsuccessful in every ROH World Championship opportunity he had up until his bout with Gresham at ROH Death Before Dishonor. "In that final moment, it was just kind of 'You're going to do it. You did it. I did it.' It was a very special moment for me." Castagnoli concluded.