WWE superstar Ludwig Kaiser has been arrested and hit with a battery charge after allegedly getting into a fight with another man.
Kaiser, 35, whose real name is Marcel Barthel, has been with the for almost a decade and has recently been enjoying a major push under the mask of popular luchador El Grande Americano.
WWE superstar Ludwig Kaiser’s mugshot after he was arrested and hit with a battery charge after allegedly getting into a fight with another man Credit: Orange County Corrections Dept
Kaiser has been fighting for the WWE under the moniker El Grande Americano in recent months Credit: Getty
The German wrestler was charged with misdemeanor battery just after 2.30pm on Wednesday, according to booking records in Florida.
He was taken to Orange County Jail in on a $1,000 (£743) bond before being released a short time after.
A mugshot was released shortly after with a glum looking Kaiser staring into the camera.
The arrest comes just days before Kaiser is set to be in the main event of a major WWE-linked event for promotion AAA.
The highly anticipated match pits Kaiser as El Grande Americano facing off against another version of the all-American luchador with the exact same name.
For over a year now, WWE and AAA have been pushing a bizarre storyline involving the “original” El Grande Americano – Chad Gable – and an El Grande Americano imposter in Kaiser.
Kaiser took over the character when Gable injured himself in a match in 2025.
Gable came back at the Royal Rumble in January with both men now claiming to be the real Mexican-inspired fighter.
For over a year now, WWE and AAA have been pushing a bizarre storyline involving the ‘original’ El Grande Americano – Chad Gable – and imposter Kaiser Credit: Getty
Before his role under the red and white mask, Kaiser fought as a German tough guy in WWE Credit: Getty
Their fight at AAA Lucha Libre’s “Noche de los Grande” in Monterrey, Mexico on May 30, is being billed as a “mask versus mask” match.
The loser will have to remove their mask in the ring and likely give up the El Grande Americano character for good.
The pair also faced off in a trio’s tag match on the most recent episode of Monday Night Raw at the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, on May 18.
Kaiser first signed with WWE back in 2017 after being a standout in the independent wrestling scene in .
His WWE profile reads: “Kaiser has since proven to be a true mat magician, as well as a no-nonsense competitor.
“With the posture of a steel pole and a facial expression that rarely deviates from the stern setting, Kaiser is practically unflappable.”
He first started in NXT – WWE’s development brand – as part of European tough guy tag team Imperium.
Kaiser would regularly compete alongside Giovanni Vinci in matches and even won the NXT Tag Team Championship.
Kaiser came into WWE as part of a European-based tough guy tag team Imperium alongside Gunther Credit: Getty
Gunther is the man who retired John Cena earlier this year by making the 17-time world champion submit to a sleeper hold Credit: Getty
Their third faction teammate was .
The Austrian powerhouse has gone on to be one of WWE’s main stars in recent years after a record-breaking title reign at the top of the company.
Gunther is the man who retired the legendary earlier this year by making the 17-time world champion .
He is also responsible for ending the in-ring careers of and .
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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