WWE star Ludwig Kaiser, whose real name is Marcel Barthel, has been arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge just ten days before what was set to be a career-defining match. The 35-year-old wrestler, known for portraying El Grande Americano on WWE's Lucha Libre AAA brand since June 2025, was scheduled to face the original El Grande Americano (Chad Gable) at AAA Noche de los Grande on May 30. However, his arrest on May 20 now casts doubt over the highly anticipated Mask versus Mask bout.
Details of the Arrest
According to an Affidavit for Arrest Warrant filed with the Orange County Clerk’s office and obtained by Metro, Barthel was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery. He has pleaded not guilty. The allegations stem from an incident in April 2026 at his Orlando apartment complex. A male resident accused Barthel and his partner of acting in an “uncontrollably intimate” manner, described as aggressively kissing, and asked them to “please have some manners.” The complainant alleges that immediately after his comment, he was punched multiple times and pushed to the ground. Barthel is also accused of making threats of additional violence toward the man.
Legal Proceedings
In court documents, Barthel’s attorney confirmed his client’s “intent to participate in discovery” regarding the allegation and has “requested a trial of the said charges.” On May 21, Barthel filed a motion requesting permission to travel “throughout the United States and around the world.” The motion notes that Barthel “became aware of a warrant for his arrest” on May 19 while he was “in Mexico for work purposes.” He returned to Orlando on May 20 and “turned himself in to the Orange County Jail,” later being released after posting a $1,000 bond. The motion emphasizes that Barthel has “no prior criminal history anywhere in the world and is not a danger to others” and that he “maintains his innocence and has retained undersigned counsel to assist him in this matter.” In light of this, he has filed a motion to be allowed to continue working, including his upcoming match for AAA.
WWE and Public Statements
Neither WWE nor the wrestler have made a public statement on the arrest or charges. Metro has contacted WWE and the Orlando Police Department for comment.
Background on El Grande Americano
As El Grande Americano, the German-born star has become a fan favorite in Mexico as part of WWE’s Lucha Libre AAA brand, which is run by Hall of Famer The Undertaker. Barthel took over the Americano mask and character after Chad Gable suffered a torn rotator cuff injury last summer. Over the past few months, the two have been locked in an intense storyline rivalry, which has also spilled over to Monday Night Raw with the Creed Brothers and Los Americanos (Rayo and Bravo) getting involved. The upcoming match on May 30 is a bitter grudge match where the loser will be forced to unmask—a mark of deep disrespect in lucha libre culture.
Barthel’s Wrestling Influences
Back in 2024, Barthel opened up about his influences as a wrestling fan in his teens. He told Metro, “I think Randy Orton is one of the best to ever do it. I loved The Rock back in the day, I loved Kurt Angle back in the day, Triple H, Shawn Michaels. Obviously when you watch them as a teenager that does something with you, right? I can’t really pinpoint it to ‘I took this from Triple H, and I took this from Kurt Angle,’ but definitely that shapes you one way or the other… Those guys were definitely influences when it comes to wrestling in general.” Despite spending much of his career adopting a more serious persona, Barthel was drawn to “larger than life characters.”
