Chad Gable is opening up about one of his biggest feuds in wrestling and what made it so successful.
In January 2025, Gable fell to debuting star Penta in a singles match on WWE Raw. The loss left him frustrated and sparked a personal mission to study lucha libre.
A few months later he debuted a dual‑character act on television, one persona being the masked luchador El Grande Americano.
The gimmick led to him capturing the WWE Speed Championship and even challenging for the AAA Mega Championship in AAA Lucha Libre.
An injury in June forced him off television, allowing Ludwig Kaiser to assume the El Grande Americano role.
Kaiser thrived, becoming AAA’s top babyface, particularly popular in Mexico.
At the 2026 Royal Rumble, Kaiser—still as El Grande Americano—came face‑to‑face with Gable, who had been rebranded as the “Original El Grande Americano.”
The ensuing weeks featured unsanctioned brawls and built toward a Mask vs. Mask showdown at Noche de Los Grandes, where the loser would have to unmask.
After a hard‑fought 30‑plus‑minute bout, Gable was compelled to remove his mask, turning babyface in the process.
He now competes on Raw and is embroiled in a feud with Rusev and Ethan Page.
Chad Gable Details the Many Elements That Shaped the El Grande Americano Narrative
Gable recently spoke on 103.5 KISS FM, explaining why the El Grande Americano storyline resonated.
He said there was no single formula; instead, the angle evolved through numerous tweaks. The 40‑year‑old pointed out that his legitimate injury was a catalyst—without it, the story would never have materialized.
There are so many facets that brought us to that final moment that a documentary could easily be made. Countless little detours and adjustments were required along the way.
It all traces back to my injury; none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been hurt and forced to step aside.
El Grande essentially took my character and ran with it to a level nobody anticipated. He embraced the culture, won over the fans, and did something we haven’t seen in a long time.
Gable added that the genuine competitiveness and animosity between his character and El Grande Americano elevated the storytelling.
Those elements played a part, and then I think the idea we cultivated—a real, almost‑hate‑filled rivalry—gave the story its edge. We each found something to hold against the other: I resented him for taking what felt like mine, while he disliked me for trying to reclaim it after he had made the persona his own.
When you make that conflict feel authentic and important to yourself, the audience feels it too. It became lightning in a bottle—a sensation we haven’t witnessed in wrestling for years in wrestling for years.
H/T: 411mania.com
H/T: 411mania.com