El Grande Americano Calls WrestleMania 42 Ladder Match a Disgrace

El Grande Americano, portrayed by Ludwig Kaiser, has publicly criticized his exclusion from the Intercontinental Championship ladder match scheduled for WrestleMania 42. In a bilingual video released on WWE social media on April 5, 2026, Kaiser expressed significant frustration over being left out of the bout, describing the current lineup as an absolute disgrace without his involvement.

The promo began in Spanish before Kaiser transitioned to English to ensure a broader audience understood his grievances. During the segment, Kaiser asserted his status as the biggest legend and questioned why other luchadores were selected for the match while he remained on the sidelines.

I gotta speak English because a lot of gringos don’t understand, but I want to tell you that all those luchadores are going to compete at WrestleMania. But the greatest one, the biggest legend, El Grande Americano, is not

El Grande Americano

Critique of Ladder Match Participants

The Intercontinental Championship ladder match currently features the champion, Penta, defending against a field of four challengers. The participants include:

• Penta (Champion)
• Dragon Lee
• JD McDonagh
• Je’Von Evans
• Rusev

During the April 5 promo, Kaiser was joined by Tyler Bate, appearing as Rayo Americano, who mocked the announced competitors. The duo targeted specific athletes with dismissive remarks, describing Dragon Lee as chiquito and claiming that Je’Von Evans has no cultura. When Penta was mentioned, Rayo Americano remarked that the champion is un fan de Chaparro.

Kaiser maintained that the match lacked credibility without his presence and suggested that action should be taken to rectify the situation. The segment concluded with Kaiser stating vamos a pensar as he and Bate exited the frame.

Match Background and Championship Context

The road to the WrestleMania 42 ladder match began following the March 30 episode of Raw, where Penta successfully defended the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Kofi Kingston. Following that victory, Penta announced that he would put the title on the line in a ladder match at the upcoming event.

The other participants—JD McDonagh, Dragon Lee, Rusev, and Je’Von Evans—secured their spots in the match by winning qualifying bouts on WWE Main Event. While El Grande Americano, who is the 2026 AAA Rey de Reyes winner, had been pursuing the title, he did not secure a spot through the qualifying process.

Penta responded to Kaiser’s complaints via social media, dismissing the claims of a disgrace. Penta told Kaiser that the only disgrace was him wearing the mask and challenged him to EARN your way to Wrestlemania.

The Rise of Los Americanos

Kaiser is currently part of a faction known as Los Americanos, which includes Tyler Bate as Rayo Americano and Pete Dunne, who performs as Bravo Americano. The group has been embroiled in a rivalry with Chad Gable, the original El Grande Americano, since Gable’s return at the 2026 Royal Rumble.

This feud has extended across multiple promotions, adding complexity to the current storyline as Kaiser attempts to claim the mantle of the definitive El Grande Americano. The tension between the faction and the original persona continues to serve as a primary driver for Kaiser’s current demands for a title opportunity.

Despite the vocal protests from Los Americanos, the group has not been officially added to the Intercontinental Championship match. However, reports indicate that WWE is still adjusting the structure of the ladder match behind the scenes, leaving the possibility open for late additions or interference at WrestleMania 42.