Claudio Castagnoli Triumphs in 2024 Men’s International Gran Prix on 8/23 CMLL Viernes Espectacular

Claudio Castagnoli has been on a roll for the past several months as a member of The Blackpool Combat Club and it appears he finally made a huge impact as he won the Men’s International Gran Prix during CMLL’s Viernes Espectacular show this week.

On the August 23, 2024, edition of CMLL’s “Viernes Espectacular,” the promotion held the 2024 International Showcase Elimination tag match, known as the Grand Prix. The event featured Team Mexico (Máscara Dorada, Volador Jr., Esfinge, Euforia, El Valiente, Templario, Místico, Titán, Ultimo Guerrero, and Atlantis Jr.) facing off against Team World, which included a diverse lineup of talent from AEW, ROH, MLW, NJPW, Rev-Pro, and more. Team World consisted of Claudio Castagnoli, Yota Tsuji, Davey Boy Smith Jr., Mansoor, Ikuro Kwon, Flip Gordon, Robbie X, AKIRA, Rocky Romero, and Kyle Fletcher.

After a lengthy and intense match, the final showdown came down to Volador Jr. and AEW’s Claudio Castagnoli. In a heated exchange between the “Depredador Mayor” and the Blackpool Combat Club’s “Swiss Cyborg,” Claudio gained the upper hand. He delivered a devastating uppercut to Volador Jr., followed by his signature Swiss Death (Running Lariat), and finished with a brutal Gotch-Style Piledriver to secure the victory.

This match marked Castagnoli’s second appearance for CMLL, his previous one being on the March 29 edition of “Homenaje a Dos Leyendas,” where he teamed with Matt Sydal, Bryan Danielson, and Jon Moxley against Volador Jr., Blue Panther, Místico, and Ultimo Guerrero. With this win, Claudio became the first-ever Swiss wrestler to win the Gran Prix and the sixth non-Mexican to achieve this honor and fans couldn’t be happier for him.

What’s your opinion on Claudi Castagnoli’s massive win at CMLL this week? Do you feel he has a lot of momentum now after this big win? Let us know in the comments section below!