Despite some obvious ties to the Trump administration, WWE largely presents itself as apolitical.
But the pro wrestling giant made the rare move of alluding to real-life politics on Monday, billing a “new” wrestler as from “the Gulf of America.”
“New” is written quotation marks because the luchador known as El Grande Americano bares a striking resemblance to Chad Gable. The subject of the masked wrestler’s apparent identity previously served a jumping off point for Pat McAfee to allude to Brett Favre’s previous defamation lawsuit against him.
On Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, El Grande Americano made his in-ring “debut.” And during a video package parodying lucha libre’s history that some believe was at least partially generated by artificial intelligence, the wrestler was billed as “hailing from the Gulf of America,” which ring announcer Alicia Taylor also announced during his introduction.
This video on El Grande Americano is amazing.
“Hailing from the Gulf of America.”
😂😂😂😂😂— Triple H’s Thoughts 💭 (@TripleHHHPaulL) March 24, 2025
EL GRANDE AMERICANO’S ENTRANCE
FROM THE GULF OF AMERICA 😭😭😭
PROTECT CHAD GABLE AT ALL COSTS!#WWERAW pic.twitter.com/uVZLYtVJXA
— The Movement – Pro Wrestling (@TheMovementXx) March 24, 2025
While it was previously known by most as the “Gulf of Mexico,” the body of water in question has become a political topic in recent months following President Donald Trump’s insistence that it be referred to as the “Gulf of America.” Most prominently, the name has been at the center of the White House’s dispute with the Associated Press, which has continued to refer to the body of water by its original name.
But while most sports broadcasts have avoided the subject or navigated it awkwardly, WWE appears to now be leaning into it. That’s not to say that the company’s use of the name is necessarily an endorsement of Trump’s actions, as it’s worth noting that Gable — err, El Grande Americano — is a heel (bad guy) trafficking in American exceptionalism.
Still, WWE’s use of the name is notable, especially considering former WWE CEO Linda McMahon’s current role as the secretary of education in Trump’s administration. The use of the “Gulf of America” name also comes just weeks after McAfee made headlines by repeatedly taking issue with a crowd in Toronto for booing the United State’s national anthem ahead of the WWE Elimination Chamber event amid the ongoing political tensions between the U.S. and Canada.
