10 WWE Wrestlers Already Dreaming Of AEW

7. Cesaro

Kevin Owens AEW
WWE

The big Cesaro push of 2021 didn't happen. People did try to tell you that it wouldn't last.

The Seth Rollins match at WrestleMania and the Roman Reigns match at WrestleMania were both excellent, excellent contests elevated by Cesaro's incredible, nuanced selling, but they were very much here today, gone tomorrow. They might as well have not happened. Cesaro definitively lost the wider programme to Rollins, ahead of Seth's next programme with Edge, and there was no next programme for Cesaro. There rarely is. But he had his WrestleMania Moment, so that's fine.

When did a midcard act winning a 10 minute match become a career peak?

And does Cesaro sense that's as good as it's going to get for him?

Cesaro is a preposterous professional wrestler, but the actual, meaningful push never happens because he isn't a natural, compelling episodic TV performer. There's more to it than the ability to work bangers.

If his Twitter activity is any indication, Cesaro is dreaming of a place that won't forget him. Wowed by the recent Kenny Omega Vs. Bryan Danielson instant classic at Grand Slam, he slapped likes on several tweets praising it, agreeing that it was the "greatest free television" match ever. Subjectively, NJPW feels like the best fit. The prospect of Claudio Castagnoli Vs. Jeff Cobb is unbelievable.

But it appears a different match has ignited his ambition.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!