According to a report from BodySlam, WWE officials are very impressed with Ludwig Kaiser’s portrayal of the El Grande Americano character. The report adds that there is a belief among some within the company that Kaiser has been a much better fit for the gimmick than its originator, Chad Gable.
Gable introduced the masked persona in March, kicking off a successful run that included a victory over Rey Fenix at WrestleMania 41 and a reign as the WWE Speed Champion. His momentum was halted in mid-June when he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery, putting him on the shelf.
Ludwig Kaiser took over the role in late June, also making his debut as the character in a win over Dragon Lee on Raw. Since then, he has had high-profile appearances, including a match against Octagon Jr. at an AAA event and competing for the AAA Mega Championship in a four-way match at Triplemania XXXIII in August. The report clarifies that while Gable’s run was not seen as a failure, some officials feel Kaiser has added more to the character in a short amount of time.
The character’s journey under the mask continues outside of WWE programming as well. El Grande Americano is scheduled to return to Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide for a match against El Fiscal on September 7 at the Gira Alianzas television tapings in Monterrey. This appearance is part of the build to the joint WWE and AAA “Worlds Collide” special, which will take place on September 12.
With Gable expected to return from his surgery soon, the internal praise for Kaiser’s performance could set the stage for a future storyline between the two over the identity of El Grande Americano. The gimmick has also been briefly used by other performers, including Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne, establishing that different wrestlers can assume the persona.