Why Isn't WWE Putting One Of Pro Wrestling's Best Feuds On WrestleMania 42's Match Card?

The El Grande Americanos come face to face during the 2026 Royal Rumble. Split image
(Image credit: WWE)

WrestleMania 42 is just around the corner, and as Pat McAfee and others are brought in to try and do all they can to get ticket sales moving for the two-day event in Las Vegas, there is widespread criticism from fans about the build to it thus far. I'm certainly one of them, and with a week left, I can't help but wonder why two major...or should I say Grande WWE superstars aren't in the mix

While I'll be watching WrestleMania with my ESPN Unlimited subscription, I can't help but be a bit frustrated about the card thus far. While celebrities like Jelly Roll are involved, many key WWE superstars are watching from the sidelines. This includes two stars who went viral over the weekend, and should certainly be included while there's still time.

The El Grande Americanos Went Viral For Their Explosive Fight On AAA

Both El Grande Americano and El Grande Americano Original have been splitting time between WWE and Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, the Mexican wrestling organization acquired by WWE in a joint partnership with Mexican company Fillip in 2025. When the athletes aren't duking it out on Monday Night Raw, they're still putting on banger segments over there, as evidenced by this viral clip that had sports insider Ariel Helwani hyped:

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Helwani wasn't the only wrestling fan psyched about the moment. The comments were littered with people psyched about both Americanos (formerly Chad Gable and Ludwig Kaiser) going to war out of nowhere during the show:

  • I might have watched this 10 times today. It’s brilliant - @oldmanfut
  • Kaiser came out like 97 Stone Cold Steve Austin. All gas! - @Yogstus
  • Incredible. Kaiser cut an incredible promo in Spanish. Guy is the real deal - @bquinn622
  • Some of the loudest pops ive heard in months - @Chris_from_NJ
  • That impromptu belly-to-belly suplex during the brawl was just 👌 -@MaxWrestling1

I also thought the moment was great, and quite frankly, I've been a huge supporter of everything they've done since Gable's return at the 2026 Royal Rumble. Given that, it seemed obvious they'd be a part of WrestleMania 42 by now, but apparently, that's not the case.

So Why Is This Year's Best Wrestling Feud Not A Part Of WrestleMania 42?

I understand that this whole storyline was created as a result of Chad Gable getting injured while playing El Grande Americano, evolving organically through fan hype without originally being in the WWE creatives' plans when they came up with the angle. That said, it's baffling to me that we still haven't heard yet abouta match between the duo being added to the card for WrestleMania 42, especially given how the fans are responding.

All this to say, I suppose there's a possibility an official match could still be added to the card, to be announced during the last Monday Night Raw or SmackDown before the big PLE arrives. An official announcement of the entire match card has already been publicized, but I would imagine the WWE is down to try anything and everything at this point to garner maximum fan enthusiasm before the big day. It's too late to bring in some fresh storytelling, so why not add a 20-minute match between the El Grande Americanos to bring the house down?

ESPN Unlimited: $29.99 a month

ESPN Unlimited: $29.99 a month
Home to live sports including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WNBA, UFC, the FA Cup, and WWE, ESPN's new direct-to-consumer app will also be the place to watch WrestleMania 42 live.

WrestleMania 42 is live on ESPN Unlimited on Saturday, April 18th, and Sunday, April 19th. Tune in to see some of the best pro wrestlers in the world duke it out on the world's biggest stage for wrestling, while others watch from the sidelines.

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Mick Joest
Content Producer

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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