WWE star Ludwig Kaiser, whose real name is Marcel Barthel, was arrested and subsequently released from jail in Florida following an alleged altercation with a neighbor over a public display of affection.
Details of the Incident
The 35-year-old German-born wrestler turned himself in at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, according to an Orlando Police report obtained by The Daily Mail. The full circumstances of the arrest were not immediately disclosed. However, after Barthel was booked into Orange County Jail and later released on a $1,000 bond, TMZ cited another police report claiming the wrestler attacked a male neighbor following a disagreement on April 23.
According to police, Barthel and a woman entered an elevator that night with one of his neighbors. The wrestler and his date allegedly began kissing and became "uncontrollably intimate" before all parties exited the elevator on the 12th floor. It was at this point, police say, the neighbor told Barthel to "please have some manners," which allegedly angered the wrestler. Barthel is then accused of beating the neighbor before shoving the man to the floor.
Police identified Barthel on security footage and further claim he threatened the neighbor. The Daily Mail has sought further comment from both Orlando Police and WWE, which has one of its training facilities in Azalea Park, Florida. It remains unclear if Barthel has been working at that gym.
Background on Ludwig Kaiser
Born in Hamburg in 1990, Barthel began professional wrestling in 2008 before joining WWE Raw in 2023 and adopting the cartoonishly German moniker, Ludwig Kaiser. Simultaneously, he also works for WWE partner promotion Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide as El Grande Americano. Barthel has an upcoming main event in Monterrey, Mexico against the 'Original' El Grande Americano, Chad Gable, on May 30. As reported by the New York Post, Barthel inherited the Grande Americano character from Gable after the latter suffered a rotator cuff surgery last June.
Barthel previously worked in Germany, where he "established himself as one of the German independent wrestling scene's brightest prospects," according to his WWE profile. "Kaiser has since proven to be a true mat magician, as well as a no-nonsense competitor," his bio continues. "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." His ring excellence soon led to him aligning with the imposing Imperium faction, with two NXT Tag Team Championship reigns under his belt.
