There’s been a new development in Ludwig Kaiser’s ongoing battery case just days before he’s due back in an Orlando courtroom.
Ringside News has learned that attorney Bruce A. Mount Jr. filed a notice of appearance on October 8 to represent Richard Reap, the alleged victim in the case, adding another wrinkle before the October 19 hearing.
Mount works for NeJame Law in Orlando, which is the same firm connected to Reap’s previously listed attorney. That makes it possible this is simply a change in who is handling the matter for Reap, whether temporarily or going forward.
Mount joined NeJame Law in September 2026 and works as a personal injury attorney. Reap having his own attorney involved in the criminal matter ensures his interests are represented as the case moves forward, while the personal injury connection could also become significant if any civil action is considered once the criminal case is resolved.
Kaiser, whose legal name is Marcel Barthel and who also performs as El Grande Americano, is scheduled to return to court on October 19 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will center on Barthel’s attempt to have the misdemeanor battery charge dismissed under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.
The October hearing comes after a previously scheduled August 27 proceeding was abruptly canceled without explanation. As court documents obtained by Ringside News showed at the time, the case remained active despite that hearing being taken off the calendar.
Barthel was arrested in May after learning that a warrant had been issued over an alleged April 23 confrontation at his Orlando apartment complex. He traveled from Mexico to Florida, surrendered to authorities and entered a not-guilty plea.
Reap’s version of events is that he encountered Barthel and his girlfriend, Andrea Bazarte, inside an elevator and asked them to “please have some manners.” He claims Barthel then attacked him, punching and pushing him during the confrontation.
Barthel’s defense paints a very different picture. His attorneys say Reap became hostile, used offensive language and threatened to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Bazarte before moving aggressively toward Barthel.
Barthel admits that he pushed Reap, but argues that he only used non-deadly force because he believed Reap was about to attack him and his girlfriend. His attorneys maintain that he was lawfully standing in a common area of the apartment building, had no duty to retreat and was protected under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.
Barthel’s attorneys have asked the court to dismiss the charge entirely and grant him immunity from prosecution. The defense has also pursued surveillance footage from the elevator area, which could become a major piece of evidence depending on exactly what the video captured.
The original arrest report states that police reviewed surveillance footage and observed Reap being punched and pushed. Officers also noted a scratch on Reap’s head when they spoke with him following the incident.
Kaiser has continued working throughout the legal battle and is currently performing as El Grande Americano. He is also the reigning AAA Mega Champion after defeating Dominik Mysterio at TripleMania last month, and he has been allowed to continue traveling for WWE while the case remains pending.
Now the focus shifts to October 19, but the latest attorney filing shows both sides are still getting their pieces in place before the next courtroom fight. Whether the judge ends the criminal case that day or keeps it alive could determine what comes next for Kaiser legally — and whether this situation eventually spills into another case outside criminal court.
What do you think about Richard Reap bringing another attorney into the case just before Ludwig Kaiser’s dismissal hearing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
