WWE's Ludwig Kaiser Arrested in Florida on Misdemeanor Battery Charge

WWE performer Ludwig Kaiser, whose legal name is Marcel Barthel, was arrested in Florida on Wednesday and charged with misdemeanor battery. The 35-year-old German wrestler was booked into the Orange County Jail in Orlando shortly after 2:30 p.m. and was released later that evening after posting a $1,000 bond.

The arrest stems from an alleged altercation with another man, according to reports citing law enforcement records. Specific details about the incident have not been released by authorities. Officials from the Orange County Sheriff's Office and WWE have been approached for comment.

The arrest occurs just days before a significant career milestone for Barthel. He is scheduled to headline a major event for the AAA Lucha Libre promotion in Monterrey, Mexico, on May 30. In a match billed as the climax of a lengthy storyline, Barthel, portraying the character El Grande Americano, is set to face Chad Gable, the original performer of that character, in a "mask versus mask" contest. The loser will be forced to unmask in the ring, likely concluding their use of the El Grande Americano persona.

Barthel assumed the El Grande Americano role in mid-2025 after Gable suffered a rotator...