Ludwig Kaiser talks Imperium ahead of WWE event at Acrisure Arena on Saturday

There are several factions in the roster of World Wrestling Entertainment, but none stand out like the three European wrestlers of Imperium.

The three-man stable led by Gunther (Walter Hanh) includes Ludwig Kaiser (Marcel Barthel) and Giovanni Vinci (Fabian Aichner). Imperium's motto is "The mat is sacred." Gunther often expresses disgust towards showmanship of wrestlers such as Jey Uso, Chad Gable and Cody Rhodes. In 2023, he feuded with reality TV star, actor and wrestler "The Miz" and was repulsed by his Hollywood status.

Barthel, a German with a chiseled muscular physique, previously worked together with Hanh in independent European promotions before arriving at WWE in 2017. Aichner of Italy made his official debut the same year after competing in the company's 2016 international Cruiserweight Classic tournament.

Since Imperium formed in 2019, Hanh, an Austrian who is 6'4 and weighs almost 300lbs, has achieved the longest tenure as the current Intercontinental Champion in WWE history and has held the title for over 600 days. Barthel and Aichner are former NXT Tag Team Champions, having won the titles twice and prominent singles competitors in their own right.

On March 2, Barthel is scheduled to appear during the "WWE Road To Wrestlemania" event at Acrisure Arena.

There are no gimmicks or pyrotechnics when Imperium enters. A haunting classical music theme plays and a simple visual appears on the video screen featuring three Roman pillars. Barthel and Aichner are often dressed in athletic hoodies while Hanh dons a long trench coat. Their athletic dominance is the only angle the men convey to opponents and wrestling fans.

Several WWE wrestlers have challenged Hanh for his title, and he often warns contenders they aren't on the same level as he is before providing a brutal assault in the ring. In stark contrast to other stables such as The Judgment Day and The Bloodline, Imperium doesn't have a manager figure and rarely interfere in fellow members' matches. Hanh typically goes to the ring alone for title defenses.

Barthel spoke to The Desert Sun about Imperium, the differences between pro wrestling in Europe compared to the U.S. and his feelings going into Wrestlemania 40 April 6 and 7 in Philadelphia.

THE DESERT SUN: When you were growing up in Germany, did you ever think you'd be a WWE wrestler?

LUDWIG KAISER: I definitely knew I wanted to do what my dad (Axel Dieter) did, follow in his footsteps as a professional wrestler and make him proud. But actually going to WWE and being successful, I never imagined that. It's a dream come true.

DS: With the motto Imperium has, the opponents all three of you have gone through and most of the wins being clean, do you feel like there are more possibilities with the storylines?

LK: I think for us as Europeans, there's less showmanship and a higher level of competition. When we get in the ring, our goal is to perform the best match of the entire night. That's always been our credo.

DS: Imperium has been part of a lot of storylines and many don't repeat. Does it feel difficult to maintain a feud because of that?

LK: I don't think so. Imperium is a good contrast on the roster because we're so different. The way we carry ourselves and work in the ring is different. Maybe it's because this has something to do with us being from Europe and obviously the sport is different there, but Imperium has the ability to benefit from every match, especially right now.

DS: There have been a lot of notorious stories about the WWE locker room over the years. What did it feel like to be in there when you guys first arrived?

LK: We've been really blessed with a great locker room and all the guys are great. There's a great team of staff, medical and everybody else. We spend so much time with these people, especially when we go on European tours and we travel together for most of the year. It's important you get along with everybody and take care of each other.

DS: You're in a relationship with (wrestler) Tiffany Stratton. Gunther is married to Ginny, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch are married, and Cody Rhodes and Brandi Reed are married. When your romantic partner or spouse is also a wrestler or affiliated with the company, how do you balance wrestling with your home life?

LK: That's a good question. My girlfriend is on another (WWE) show right now and we have opposite schedules. That can be challenging but it comes with the job. It's something that you know from the very beginning and one of the things we love about this business. You get to travel with your friends and that is something that's very cool, but on the other hand, there's a private life. When I come back, she has to leave and the other way around. Like everything in life, you have to make it work.

DS: When Gunther came in, he was on the heavier side and now has a more muscular physique. He's credited you and Giovanni for that, what is your approach to fitness?

LK: We all work very hard in the gym and in the ring. After COVID-19, I did a strict diet for almost 20 weeks and worked with a coach. With Gunther being my best friend and talking to each other every day, he saw me going through that and decided to do the same thing. He was always interested in the first place, but the group dynamic helps with everything. When you work out, eat and travel together, you're always part of the process. If you see somebody killing it with the diet, it's obviously likely for them to do it as well.

DS: How are you feeling about going into this year's Wrestlemania in April at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia?

LK: Very excited. It's the most special time of the year. For some people it might be Christmas, but for us it's Wrestlemania. It's unbelievable if you think about it, no matter where this gigantic franchise goes, an entire city turns into a gigantic WWE city. You see fans wherever you go and can't go anywhere without seeing the merchandise. It's amazing. If you've been there, you know what I'm talking about and there's nothing like it. We're getting closer every week and each Monday Night Raw becomes more exciting. I can't wait, because this is going to be a big one.

DS: What is it like to be on the receiving end of one of Gunther's chops to the chest? It looks and sounds painful.

LK: Yeah, definitely. I'd much rather be on his side than against him.

Desert Sun reporter Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or on Twitter at @bblueskye.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Ludwig Kaiser talks Imperium ahead of WWE event in Palm Springs area