Claudio Castagnoli on Being CMLL World Heavyweight Champion: “It Feels Very Special”

Claudio Castagnoli is immensely proud to represent CMLL as its top champion at a time when the company is arguably going through its most popular phase.

The AEW star is the reigning CMLL World Heavyweight Champion. He captured the prestigious title by defeating Gran Guerrero at CMLL Viernes Espectacular on November 28, 2025. Since then, Claudio has successfully defended his gold against Último Guerrero, Roderick Strong, Josh Alexander, Akuma, Euforia, and Xeluha.

In a recent conversation with Dirt Sheet Radio, Claudio described his ongoing reign as “very special.” The veteran said he has been a longtime CMLL fan, and it’s an honor for him to represent the company at a time when it’s incredibly popular.

Claudio Castagnoli on being CMLL World Heavyweight Champion

“It feels very special for me. Like you mentioned, I’ve been doing this for quite a while, and I’ve been a fan of CMLL. I’ve been trying to work for CMLL for almost 20 years. To see this come full circle and to represent the company, I don’t take this lightly at all. I’m very proud of it, and I’m very proud of being part of that tradition. You mentioned how CMLL is doing right now, and it’s incredibly popular. I would just be happy to be a part of CMLL at any point. But to be a part of it at this point, I just feel like the pressure is on even more to represent it well and for me to honor the tradition and to be the best CMLL World Heavyweight Champion there is.”

Check out his comments below:

Claudio Castagnoli is set for another title defense this week. He will battle Último Guerrero in a rematch from last December at CMLL’s Arena Mexico show on March 13.