A WWE wrestler had been arrested on a battery charge in Florida, just days before one of the biggest matches of his career.
German brawler Ludwig Kaiser, real name Marcel Barthel, was charged with misdemeanor battery Wednesday afternoon and taken to Orange County Jail in Orlando following an alleged altercation at his apartment building.
Barthel has recently gained popularity in the U.S. and Mexico recently, performing as the masked luchador ‘El Grande Americano’.
An arrest warrant affidavit obtained by Ringside News says he was arrested over an incident that took place in the Paramount on Lake Eola Apartments in Orlando – the Florida home of the WWE’s Performance Center – on April 23.
Cops were called to the building after a man said he had been battered on the 12th floor of the building, at around 6.30 p.m. The complainant claims a man and woman followed him into an elevator and began kissing in an “uncontrollably intimate” manner.
The alleged victim claims that when he asked the man to “please have some manners” he was punched multiple times, pushed to the floor and threatened.
The police officer noted that the complainant had a “visible injury” on the back of his head and subsequently asked him to identify his attacker, which he did using a photo lineup that was cross-referenced with surveillance footage from the elevator.
The 35 year-old Barthel was held on a $1,000 bond before being released shortly after, his booking record shows. He has since pleaded not guilty and requested a trial, according to a court filing.
The arrest comes as Barthel prepares for his highly-anticipated “Mask vs Mask” luchador match on May 30, which will see him battle with his rival, the original “El Grande Americano” Chad Gable.
Gable sustained a rotator cuff injury in June 2025 before making a comeback at the Royal Rumble in January to set up the centerpiece of the “Noche de los Grande” event in Monterrey, Mexico.
Barthel has been with WWE since 2017, having built a reputation for himself in Europe. His profile on the WWE website explains that he is the son of wrestling legend Axel Dieter, started out in amateur boxing, and then switched to his father’s preferred discipline in 2007.
“Kaiser has since proven to be a true mat magician, as well as a no-nonsense competitor,” it states.
“With the posture of a steel pole and a facial expression that rarely deviates from the stern setting, Kaiser is practically unflappable – though on the rare occasion that he does lose his cool, he’s quick to let his opponents know by defiantly screaming ‘nein’ in their face.”
