Looks like WWE might have heard the backlash after allbecause El Grande Americano just got a quiet hometown update.
Originally introduced on the March 24 episode of RAW, El Grande Americanoaka Chad Gable in a luchador maskwas billed from the absurdly fictional Gulf of America in an AI-generated vignette. But after heat from fans in Mexico and hardcore lucha libre circles, WWE has now tweaked that detail. On this past Mondays RAW, Americano was officially announced as hailing from the Gulf of Mexico.
That might not seem like a big change, but for a company that rarely backs off when doubling down on satire, its a surprising move. And it directly contradicts what Sean Ross Sapp claimed when he said, Nobody cares. Sapp dismissed the backlash as overblown and claimed WWE was just poking fun with no concern for the reaction. Turns outsomeone backstage may have cared more than they let on.
The original segment back in March had El Grande Americano defeating Dragon Lee and even unmasking hima huge deal in lucha culture. Traditionally, losing a mask in Mexico is a career-defining moment, and many fans were furious it was used as a throwaway comedy spot. The commentary team didnt treat it with any gravity, which only added to the outrage. One insider said, Thats like mocking their religion.
Since then, WWE has launched a Twitter account for El Grande Americano and continued to push the character, despite online backlash and criticism from parts of the lucha community. But now that theyve quietly switched his hometown, it could be a subtle acknowledgment that things may have gone too far.
Whether the gimmick gets toned down or taken even further remains to be seenbut WWE clearly made at least one adjustment, and its one Sean Ross Sapp didnt see coming.
What do you think of WWE changing the hometown for El Grande Americano? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
