Jason Burgos
WWE Hall of Famer and AAA announcer John “Bradshaw” Layfield believes the company must make sure El Grande Americano isn’t moved to being a full-time member of the WWE main roster. Furthermore, he claims the man under the mask — Ludvig Kaiser — could have a far more lucrative career as a main event star south of the border.
When Chad Gable created the El Grande Americano character last year, it was meant to be a parody of Lucha Libre, and he was expected to be a rival to masked stars in WWE and AAA. However, when he suffered a rotator cuff tear a few months into using the character, it created an unexpected series of events that has led to a boom period for the Mexican promotion.
After taking over the mantle last summer, the current version of El Grande Americano has become a top star in Mexico. He embraces Mexican culture and speaks Spanish fluently. That has helped endear him to AAA fans, and he has been fully embraced in return. On Saturday night at AAA: Noche de Los Grandes, his popularity hit new heights when he won an epic mask vs. mask match against the OG El Grande Americano, aka Gable, in the evening’s main event.
El Grande Americano helped AAA land a new lucrative TV deal?
Yet, Kaiser remains a WWE-contracted wrestler, and many believe that, sooner or later, the company will pull him back to the main roster to see if they can make him a moneymaking machine with American fans. Layfield believes AAA management should do all they can to ensure El Grande Americano remains a key part of their content for the foreseeable future.
“I want him to stay in Mexico,” Layfield told Busted Open Radio. “There’s no doubt about it to me. It’s hard to get over. It’s hard to get over anywhere. If guys can get over anywhere, I don’t care if it’s Tennessee, Japan, Puerto Rico, Mexico; it doesn’t matter. If you can get over that, that’s tough to do.
“He is the biggest star in Mexico right now, and that is amazing. I would ride this AAA wave. I don’t know what they’re coming for next. I don’t have any insight about this, so I’m not giving away anything from meetings or anything,” he added. “But I think they’re gonna get a pretty good TV deal coming up.”
Layfield advises El Grande Americano to stay and make a lot more money in AAA
While AAA may want him to stay, the man under the El Grande Americano mask may see a different path for his career long-term. And that could be to make more money in WWE. However, Layfield believes Kaiser could do far better financially as a top star for a growing brand than as a mid-carder at best in WWE.
“What would you want to be? You want to be the biggest star on this new deal and be one of the reasons that they brought it to you?” Layfield asked. “I think that’s an opportunity that’s just too good to pass up. I would stay down in Mexico… He can make a fortune down in Mexico. Some from wrestling, a lot from opportunities down there. They have adopted that man, and my advice would be to stay where it’s good.”
