Ludwig Kaiser, also known as Marcel Barthel and El Grande Americano, is scheduled to appear in court next week as his legal team continues efforts to have a misdemeanor battery charge dismissed.
A hearing has been scheduled for Monday, October 19, before the County Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Orange County, Florida.
The proceedings will focus on a motion filed by Barthel’s attorneys seeking dismissal of the charge under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, with the defense arguing that his actions were legally justified as self-defense.
The case stems from an alleged confrontation at Barthel’s Orlando apartment complex on April 23, 2026.
Barthel was arrested in May in connection with the incident and subsequently entered a not guilty plea after voluntarily traveling from Mexico to Florida to surrender to authorities.
According to the allegations, Richard Reap accused the WWE Superstar of repeatedly punching him and pushing him to the ground following an encounter inside an elevator.
However, Barthel’s legal representatives have challenged that version of events, presenting a different account of the confrontation.
The defense claims Reap made threatening statements toward Barthel and his girlfriend, including an alleged threat to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Barthel’s attorneys maintain that Reap approached their client aggressively on two separate occasions and that Barthel responded by pushing him away.
They argue that the WWE star used reasonable, non-deadly force because he believed it was necessary to protect himself and his girlfriend.
Based on that account, the defense is seeking immunity from criminal prosecution under Florida’s self-defense laws.
Barthel’s legal team has also taken steps to obtain surveillance footage from the apartment complex’s elevator, which could provide additional evidence regarding the circumstances surrounding the alleged altercation.
The October 19 hearing will address the defense’s motion to dismiss, although no ruling on that request has been reported at this stage.
Barthel has pleaded not guilty, and the allegations against him remain unresolved as the legal proceedings continue.
