El Grande Americano Captures WWE Speed Championship – El Grande Americano, the flamboyant masked persona of Chad Gable, is now the new WWE Speed Champion.
In a bout that aired on WWE Speed today but was taped earlier this week during RAW, Americano dethroned Dragon Lee in controversial fashion to claim the title. Lee controlled much of the match and nearly unmasked his opponent, but the tide shifted when the referee intervened to prevent the mask from coming off. That distraction allowed Americano to covertly load his mask with a hidden object. When Lee struck with a kick to the head, the impact backfired — injuring his own leg against the reinforced mask.
Americano then capitalized, landing a diving headbutt from the top rope to secure the win and the championship.
This win marks Americano as the fourth WWE Speed Champion since the title’s inception. The previous champions include Ricochet, Andrade, and the now-former titleholder, Dragon Lee.
Americano — portrayed by Chad Gable — emerged as part of a character evolution following a loss to Penta. Gable, in full heel mode, introduced El Grande Americano as a legendary “lucha libre icon” with an exaggerated and entirely fabricated backstory of dominance in Mexico. The character has since grown into a comedic yet cunning presence within WWE’s fast-paced Speed division.
Looking ahead, WWE Speed will turn its attention back to the women’s division on Friday with the start of a tournament to determine the next challenger for newly crowned WWE Speed Women’s Champion Sol Ruca. The first-round matches are:
- Kelani Jordan vs. Wren Sinclair
- Maxxine Dupri vs. Ivy Nile
WWE Speed continues to air twice weekly on X (formerly Twitter), showcasing rapid-fire matches and rising talent.
El Grande Americano Captures WWE Speed Championship
