JBL defends Ludwig Kaiser’s alleged actions in battery case: “A guy got punched, so freaking what?”
WWE star Ludwig Kaiser aka El Grande Americano, whose real name is Marcel Barthel, was arrested on May 20th 2026 in Orange County, Florida. Barthel was charged with battery after allegedly assaulting a man at their apartment building. There is an unverified claim that the man threatened to “call ICE” on Kaiser’s girlfriend.
While speaking on the Something to Wrestle podcast, WWE Hall of Famer JBL (John Layfield) came to Kaiser’s defense…
“I don’t know what this guy had a problem with on the elevator. A young couple is making out on an elevator. Come on, man. Who is this dude?
And all of a sudden you say something about it? There’s so much here that needs to be picked apart.
I mean, this guy is an idiot. And then this guy gets beat up and goes to the police and tells the police that some guy beat him up in the apartment complex? What a douchebag. I mean, the guy that called the cops—what a douchebag.
Look, I don’t know what is true and what is not. If I’m Kaiser, that’s the story that I’m telling. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but that’s what any of us would have done if that’s what happened.
‘The guy said this. The guy picked on my girl. I was defending her.’
None of it matters. A guy got punched. So freaking what?
And then the guy runs because he’s a little punk-ass bitch and goes to the police and turns this guy in. ‘Oh my, this guy was a bully to me.’
You were the one saying something to him, okay?
It’s just this whole thing’s stupid.
I hope it doesn’t affect Kaiser because we don’t know the truth here.
Kaiser does not seem like a hot-headed guy. Kaiser does not seem like a guy who starts fights. Kaiser does not seem like a guy who would do something just arbitrarily that is impetuous like he was accused of.
So I just hope the whole thing blows over. I hope it doesn’t affect anything Kaiser does. I don’t think it will.”
JBL later stated the following…
“I’m on Kaiser’s side on this. The guy had no business saying anything to him. I get it. But to escalate this? Kaiser’s not the guy who ends up punching somebody. I don’t know who this douchebag was that called the cops, but screw this guy.”