If there is one thing that angers a Mexican, it is when their people, national symbols, traditions, or culture are insulted. Lucha libre encapsulates—and exalts—a large portion of these sentiments, if not all of them.
The “Grande Americano” rivalry is a storyline that has captivated fans of the spectacle in Mexico over recent months. Two wrestlers—one American, the other German—share the same name: El Grande Americano. One exalts Mexico and wears the colors of the tricolor flag on his mask. The other loathes the country and proudly displays the Stars and Stripes, the flag of the neighbor to the north, also on his mask.
In the wrestling ring, one’s origins and respect for the rightful owner of a name are fundamental. Since the Mexican promotion Lucha Libre AAA was acquired in April 2025 by the U.S.-based World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the largest and most prominent wrestling company in the world, the latter has sought to connect with the Mexican public.
However, they had not truly succeeded until now, when they so effectively capitalized on these very elements. In their latest storyline, they have managed to turn a traditional “mask vs. mask” showdown between two foreign wrestlers—one of the most sacred stipulations in the sport—into a nail-biting spectacle that has fans on the edge of their seats, eager to witness the outcome of this epic clash.
The climax of this saga will unfold on May 30 during the AAA Noche de los Grandes (Night of the Greats) event in Monterrey. There, the rivalry between these two wrestlers, who share the same name, will reach its crescendo, pitting the very best of both worlds against one another: American-style wrestling versus Mexican lucha libre.
Upon its entry into the Mexican market, WWE created the “Grande Americano” persona and initially entrusted it to Chad Gable (Minneapolis, 40), a renowned former Olympian and one of the most prominent wrestlers in the company’s mid-card ranks.
Starting in January 2025, Gable, performing as “El Grande Americano,” introduced a parody character to the Mexican professional wrestling scene. He invariably made his entrance to traditional charro music, dancing mockingly and repeating catchphrases and slang drawn from Mexican culture.
He even went so far as to claim he hailed from the “Gulf of America”—a clear reference to U.S. President Donald Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, intended as an affront to the people of that country.
The specialized wrestling channel Amatista Wrestling explains it this way: “WWE needed to create a villainous, mocking ‘gringo’ character for the recently acquired AAA promotion—one destined to be defeated by that company’s reigning hero.”
Against all odds, the character was embraced by Mexican fans for exactly what he was: a parody and, in his own unique way, a rudo (a villain).
However, while working in the ring as two distinct characters within the same show—performing both as himself and as the masked persona—Gable suffered an injury in June 2025 and had to be removed from programming.
