Danny McBride may soon become the latest recognizable Hollywood name to take on a continuing role in professional wrestling. McBride, whose acting work includes Pineapple Express, Alien: Covenant, The Foot Fist Way, Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, and The Righteous Gemstones, is reportedly set to be used as a recurring character by Major League Wrestling.
The reported MLW involvement goes beyond a one-night celebrity cameo. McBride has been appearing alongside longtime creative collaborator Steve Little and a mysterious masked luchador called Don Gato. Their material has centered on the mythology of Don Gato, who has been presented as a tequila-loving luchador. The character’s name is tied to McBride’s tequila brand.
Footage involving the group was shot at a recent MLW taping held in Arena Coliseo in Mexico City. The use of that venue and setting is a natural fit for the Don Gato concept, which has been built around a masked lucha persona rather than positioning McBride as an in-ring wrestler himself.
A creative connection between McBride and Court Bauer
McBride’s reported arrival in MLW has a clear connection to the promotion’s founder, Court Bauer. Bauer was involved with McBride’s series Eastbound & Down, providing a foundation for the two to work together again in the wrestling space.
For more background on this topic, read Romeo Malverde Returns to Action at International Lucha Libre Festival.
That relationship matters because McBride’s comedy has frequently drawn from the heightened personalities, regional flavor, bravado, and larger-than-life presentation that wrestling audiences know well. His work has often embraced characters who are loud, self-assured, deeply flawed, and completely committed to their own mythmaking—qualities that can translate especially effectively into a wrestling storyline.
McBride is also a North Carolina wrestling fan, giving the collaboration a personal connection to a territory with a deep wrestling history. North Carolina has long been associated with major wrestling traditions, passionate crowds, and colorful personalities, and McBride’s public interest in the medium has previously been reflected in his television work.
During the run of Eastbound & Down from 2009 through 2013, McBride and the show’s producers were open about the influence WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair had on the Ashley Schaffer character, played by Will Ferrell. The character’s flashy presentation and exaggerated self-promotion were deliberately informed by the “Nature Boy” persona.
That background does not necessarily reveal exactly how McBride, Little, and Don Gato will be used on MLW programming. However, it does establish that McBride and his creative circle have experience paying homage to wrestling’s distinctive character work while filtering it through their own comedic style.
Don Gato adds a lucha element to the presentation
At the center of the reported recurring role is Don Gato, the masked wrestler appearing with McBride and Little. Masked luchadors have a unique place in wrestling culture, particularly in Mexico, where a mask can carry major symbolic importance and help establish an instantly identifiable persona. The decision to film material at Arena Coliseo in Mexico City gives the act an environment aligned with that tradition.
For MLW, Don Gato offers a character that can work across multiple tones. A masked wrestler linked to tequila mythology can be played for humor, but the visual of a luchador mask also provides a direct connection to the sport’s pageantry. McBride and Little’s presence potentially gives the character an entourage, mouthpieces, or narrators capable of expanding the act without requiring Don Gato’s identity to be immediately explained.
So far, the appearances have chronicled Don Gato’s legend. That wording is notable because it suggests MLW’s material may be designed to introduce the character gradually rather than simply placing McBride in front of a camera for a conventional celebrity endorsement. A continuing focus on the luchador’s backstory would give the promotion material that can develop over time.
The exact scope of McBride’s role, the frequency of his appearances, and whether Don Gato will wrestle in MLW have not been detailed. There is also no indication that McBride himself is preparing to compete. The reported plan is for him to become a recurring character, a distinction that leaves room for vignettes, ringside segments, interviews, storyline involvement, or other on-screen uses.
MLW gains another entertainment-world connection
McBride would not be the only actor connected to MLW. The company also features Oscar nominee Paul Walter Hauser, who has remained involved in independent wrestling alongside his acting career. Hauser’s film credits include Richard Jewell and The Naked Gun, while his wrestling appearances have made him a familiar figure to independent audiences.
Hauser and McBride represent different types of entertainment crossover. Hauser has wrestled on the independent scene, while McBride’s reported MLW role is built around character work with Little and Don Gato. Still, their involvement gives MLW two performers with substantial name recognition outside wrestling, while preserving a connection to the type of personalities and storytelling that can function within a wrestling broadcast.
Celebrity involvement in wrestling has a long history, with actors, musicians, athletes, and television figures often brought in to provide an attraction beyond the usual roster. Seth Green, Jon Stewart, and David Arquette are among the names who have made memorable appearances in pro wrestling. Such appearances can range from a brief angle to a more sustained storyline, and their success often depends on whether the guest understands the tone of the product and has a reason to be there beyond simple publicity.
McBride’s history with Bauer, his stated wrestling fandom, and the established Don Gato material give this situation more creative context than a surprise walk-on. If the recurring-character plan moves forward as reported, MLW will have the opportunity to build the act as part of its programming rather than treating it as a single isolated moment.
Timing coincides with MLW Fusion’s Tubi rollout
The reported addition comes as MLW continues to strengthen the distribution of MLW Fusion. The promotion recently secured a streaming arrangement with Tubi for its revitalized weekly series, which airs every Thursday night.
A recurring McBride appearance could be valuable as MLW introduces or reintroduces viewers to the current version of Fusion. Familiar entertainment names can help create curiosity among viewers who may not otherwise seek out wrestling programming, while an ongoing angle offers those viewers a reason to return after an initial appearance.
For established MLW viewers, the more important question will be how the Don Gato story fits alongside the promotion’s wrestling-focused presentation. The Mexico City footage indicates that the act has already been prepared for television use, but the details of its eventual placement, its interaction with MLW talent, and its larger storyline direction remain unclear.
What is known is that the project reunites McBride with Bauer, includes Little as part of the presentation, and is built around the masked figure of Don Gato. It also arrives at a moment when MLW has a new weekly platform for Fusion and an apparent interest in giving audiences distinctive, conversation-starting characters.
McBride has spent much of his career portraying unforgettable fictional personalities, and professional wrestling is a medium built around larger-than-life personas. With Don Gato’s legend now becoming part of MLW’s reported plans, that overlap could produce one of the promotion’s more unusual recurring attractions in the months ahead.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.