7 Wrestlers Who Benefited From ANOTHER Wrestler's Injury

4. Ludwig Kaiser

Somewhat hilariously, WWE spent two decades frantically searching the lucha libre scene for the next Rey Mysterio, only to find it in a German who began cosplaying as a luchador before growing to hold deep admiration for the art form, and who only donned the mask because the original cosplayer, an American, tore his rotator cuff.

While Chad Gable was initially cast as the lucha-mocking El Grande Americano, Ludwig Kaiser shone as the lucha-appreciating Americano, ridding the gimmick of the subtle racial undertones that had been prevalent during Gable's reign by immersing himself in the culture of lucha libre. Legitimately fluent in Spanish, Kaiser became a major hit with locals after becoming the face of AAA, to such an extent that a mural of him was painted in Monterrey ahead of his and Chad's Mascara contra Mascara (Mask vs. Mask) match.

That match, by the way, was rated five and three-quarter stars by Dave Meltzer, the highest ever for a WWE-affiliated match. Now, El Grande Americano, in Ludwig's hands, will challenge Dominik Mysterio for the AAA Championship in the main event of Triplemania 34.

Before masking up, he was doing house show jobs for Otis.