WWE Superstar Ludwig Kaiser was taken into custody in Florida just a week before an eagerly awaited main event match.
Kaiser, whose real name is Marcel Barcel, was charged with a misdemeanor on Wednesday afternoon around 2:30 p.m., as indicated by booking records.
He was held at the Orange County Jail in Orlando with a bail set at $1,000, and he has since been released.
As reported by a wrestling journalist, the 35-year-old German wrestler was arrested after getting into an altercation with another person, leading to suspicion of assault.
Details about the incident remain unclear for now.
The newspaper reached out to WWE as well as the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
Orlando is the location of the WWE Performance Center.
Barthel, who also goes by the luchador name El Grande Americano, is slated to compete against “Original” El Grande Americano Chad Gable in a Mask vs. Mask match on May 30th.
This match has been highly anticipated, with plans for it to be the main event of the AAA Lucha Libre Noche de los Grandes in Monterrey, Mexico. WWE announced their acquisition of the Lucha Libre promotion in April 2025.
Barthel took on the role of El Grande Americano in June 2025 after Gable suffered a rotator cuff injury that kept him out for the remainder of that year.
He last appeared on the May 18 episode of Monday Night Raw in Greensboro, North Carolina, participating in a Trio Tornado match alongside Los Americanos, where they defeated Gable’s “Original” El Grande Americano and Los Americanos Hermanos.
He signed with WWE after making a name for himself as a standout talent in the German independent wrestling scene. According to his WWE profile, “Kaiser has since become a true mat magician and an authentic competitor.” The profile adds that he has an unwavering demeanor, often showing little emotion, but when he loses his temper, he boldly lets his opponents know by shouting “nine” at them.
