WWE superstar Ludwig Kaiser, whose real name is Marcel Barthel, was arrested by the Orange County Police Department in Florida on a battery charge on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
The 35-year-old wrestling star was booked at 2:37 p. m.
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and later released on a $1,000 bond at 11:20 p. m.
that evening.
According to reports from PWInsider, Barthel bonded out of the Orange County Corrections facility following the afternoon incident.
Gerweck.
net reported that early indications point to a possible restaurant altercation involving another male, though official arrest records only list the battery charge without implying guilt.
Authorities noted that the situation did not involve a domestic dispute, contrary to early online speculation.
Journalist Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful also confirmed that the physical altercation involved another man.
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Impact on WWE Storyline
The legal situation comes at a critical time for Barthel's current on-screen storyline in WWE, where he has been performing under a mask as the character El Grande Americano.
Barthel assumed the El Grande Americano gimmick in recent months after Chad Gable suffered an injury.
Following Gable's recent return to television, the two performers have been engaged in a feud over the identity of the character.
They are currently scheduled to wrestle in a high-stakes mask-vs.-mask match at the upcoming WWE AAA Noche De Los Grandes crossover event on May 30 in Monterrey, Mexico.
