Claudio Castagnoli says he’s still not medically cleared to compete.

On the October 28, 2026, episode of AEW Dynamite, Claudio Castagnoli had to be stretchered out of the arena after an attack by The Cut. David Finlay nailed Castagnoli with a shillelagh inside the ring. The group then removed the protective padding from the floor, and Jay White performed a Blade Runner on the Swiss star on the exposed concrete. There’s no word on the nature of his injury or how long he’s expected to be sidelined.

Claudio Castagnoli spoke with Paul Delos Santos of The Load-In at the 2026 League of Legends World Championship. He discussed his long-standing passion for the game, getting to attend the tournament, and the parallels between esports and professional wrestling. While discussing esports fans’ passion, the AEW star noted that they are similar to wrestling fans. As he made his point, he revealed he’s still not medically cleared to return to the ring.

“It’s been great. I’m not medically cleared right now, so I was just sitting around at home. So they asked me if I wanted to come here, see Worlds, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, definitely, 100% I’ll be there.’ So what impressed me, and I had the chance to go to China for the LPL a few years ago, and then here again, it’s the passion of the fans. It’s the passion of the fans for their team, for the game, and how they show it. It’s very similar to pro wrestling, you know? They have signs. Come early. They dress up in jerseys. It’s like they show their passion, and they’re proud,” the AEW star said.