Wrestling should stay the inside the ring. Wrestlers should be taught that on the very first day. However, someone forgot that rule because he got caught in an altercation in an elevator.
WWE star Ludwig Kaiser was arrested for alleged battery at an Orlando apartment building, records show. A passionate makeout session reportedly landed him in jail. The alleged altercation happened on 23 April, according to a police report obtained by TMZ.
The 35-year-old German-born wrestler, whose real name is Marcel Barthel, was arrested on Wednesday on a misdemeanor battery charge, Orange County jail records showed.
His arrest follows an Orlando Police investigation into an incident that happened at an apartment building on E. Pine Street, an arrest affidavit said.
The alleged victim said he was riding an elevator with an unknown man and woman who began acting "uncontrollably intimate" and were "aggressively kissing," the affidavit said.
When the elevator reached the 12th floor the victim said he got out and told the couple to "please have some manners," and that's when he said the man started attacking him, punching him multiple times and pushing him to the ground while making threats of additional violence, the affidavit said.
Surveillance footage showed the attack and police identified the suspect as Barthel, a resident of the building, the affidavit said.
When the elevator reached the 12th floor, the victim said he got out and told the couple to "please have some manners" and that's when he said the man started attacking him, punching him multiple times and pushing him to the ground while making threats of additional violence, the affidavit said.
Surveillance footage showed the attack and police identified the suspect as Barthel, a resident of the building, the affidavit said.
It was also noted the alleged victim had a “large, fresh scratch” on his head, and the warrant was issued for Kaiser after police reviewed security camera footage of the incident. The alleged victim also picked Kaiser out of a photo array as his attacker.
Another report covered Kaiser’s response to the warrant, and what filings by his attorney Thomas D. Sommerville told about his defense.
Those filings say Kaiser learned about the warrant while in Mexico on Tuesday (May 19) and quickly flew back to Florida to turn himself in. He was placed in custody and released on $1 000 bond. Sommerville’s notice of appearance to the court entered a "not guilty" plea for Kaiser.
A trial was requested and Kaiser’s team stated their intent to fully participate in the discovery process; which will give them access to evidence and witness lists the prosecution intends to use during trial.
Under the terms of his release, Kaiser may not have any contact with his alleged victim. In order to not have the pending case impact his work for WWE and AAA, Sommerville’s filing requests he be allowed to continue to travel pending the outcome of the case:
"Mr. Barthel is an international performer who is required to travel throughout the United States and around the world to remain employed. His primary residence is the apartment complex in downtown Orlando where the alleged incident occurred.
Mr. Barthel has no prior criminal history anywhere in the world and is not a danger to others. He maintains his innocence and has retained undersigned counsel to assist him in this matter. He has every intention of appearing at all required court appearances related to these allegations.
Wherefore, for the foregoing reasons, the Defendant respectfully requests this Honorable Court to enter an Order allowing him to travel out of the State of Florida and internationally.
As El Grande Americano, Kaiser is scheduled to wrestle Chad Gable’s Original EGA at Lucha Libre AAA’s Noche de los Grandes on 30 May in Monterrey, Mexico.
Records showed Barthel was released on bond and entered a written plea of not guilty.
El Grande's rally was supposed to go down earlier this week but it got moved to Friday after his arrest on Wednesday for battery in Orlando, Florida.
According to his WWE profile, Kaiser joined the WWE Performance Center in Orlando in 2017 and made his WWE Network debut a year later.
I was surprised by the amount of coverage this story had. Actions should be appropriate for each situation/surroundings. Just because you're enjoying yourself doesn't mean it's okay for everyone. Violence wasn't necessary.
If there's one thing I've come to know; it's that serious legal issues in WWE lead to a deteriation in their careers. It's a nail in a coffin.