El Grande Americano responded to the “Original” El Grande Americano with a warning Sunday on Instagram Stories.
A day after a vignette aired on Lucha Libre AAA in which the “Original” branded his rival a fraud, the man who has since become a Mexican folk hero called out the initial Americano for relying on AI.
“What a f***ing lack of respect for me and my people,” Americano said, speaking directly to the camera in Spanish. “That clown doesn’t speak Spanish. He uses f***in’ artificial intelligence because he doesn’t have the courage to say a single f***in’ word for real.”
Fans quickly called out WWE for using an AI-generated video, which was how the company first introduced the character last year.
In Saturday’s vignette, the shorter, muscular “Original” accused his taller doppelganger of identity theft, branded him an impostor, and vowed to win the AAA Mega Championship. He appeared before cheering fans waving a Mexican flag, and later in a rural field surrounded by supporters.
The flag imagery especially angered the Spanish-speaking Americano, who said, “He has the audacity to raise our flag. Shorty, our flag isn’t an accessory for a fake video, fool. That flag is to be respected, to be defended.”
This Americano — portrayed by German star Ludwig Kaiser — has surged in popularity in Mexico. Meanwhile, U.S. fans have sided with the “Original,” initially played by Chad Gable before an injury, despite early criticism, including being billed from “The Gulf of America.”
Americano ended with a warning, saying, “When someone crosses the line with me and with us, they pay the consequences — for my colors, for my people, and for Mexico. We’re gonna see each other soon, and this time, without filters, without f***in’ artificial intelligence, face to face, shorty.”
Regardless, the battle lines are drawn: the “Original” El Grande Americano vs. the version embraced by Mexico, turning a battle of personas into a fight over pride, culture, and true authenticity.