AAA is moving forward with an event to honor El Grande Americano, despite the recent legal issues involving Ludwig Kaiser.
Friday on social media, AAA posted, “El Grande Americano needs all your support ahead of #AAANocheDeLosGrandes. See you TODAY at 7 pm at the Kings League Dome.”
On Thursday, a post read that the event, Serenata Para: El Grande Americano, had been canceled.
Kaiser, real name Marcel Barthel, recently turned himself in after discovering there was a warrant for his arrest in Orange County, Florida, on a battery charge.
According to an arrest affidavit, Orlando Police responded to a reported altercation at an apartment complex on April 23. Complainant Richard Reap alleged that Kaiser punched and shoved him after Reap criticized Kaiser and a woman for inappropriate behavior in an elevator.
Raj Giri, founder of Wrestling Inc., shared what he heard of the situation, saying that while Kaiser and his girlfriend were being affectionate, it was nothing “crazy or out of the ordinary.”
Giri said that Reap “allegedly said something to Kaiser to the effect of ‘you need to show some f’n respect before I call ICE on that bitch.’ Kaiser got out of the elevator and they had a little scuffle, but no punches were apparently thrown.”
In response, fans rallied behind Kaiser’s El Grande Americano.
“After defending the honor of his beloved, now I love him even more,” a fan wrote in response to AAA’s post. Another replied, “He smashed the snout of the man who insulted his woman. Grande, you are Mexican.”
On a previous post on Grande’s Instagram page, a supporter offered their legal services to ensure he makes his May 30 Mask vs. Mask match against the Original El Grande Americano at AAA’s Noche de Los Grandes.
“I’m a lawyer, Grande, shoot me a DM so I can get you out of there before that Mask vs. Mask match.”
Per Mike Johnson of PWInsider, a motion was filed by Kaiser’s attorney on Thursday requesting that he be allowed to freely travel for his WWE bookings. Florida’s Assistant State Attorney Shaylynne Kotch “indicated no objection” to the motion, which could clear the way for approval, though the court has yet to rule, according to Johnson.
As for tonight’s event, it’s unclear if Kaiser, whose image as Grande appears on the promotional graphic, will show up or if his opponent, the Original Grande, played by Chad Gable, might take his place or spoil the proceedings, potentially adding more heat to their feud.
Last year, Gable introduced El Grande Americano, a faux luchador meant to mock other luchadores, before an injury sidelined him. Rather than scrap the gimmick, Kaiser took it over, winning over Mexican fans with his respect for the culture and nearly flawless Spanish, prompting chants of “Grande, brother, you are Mexican!”