Perhaps looking to replicate the onetime success of The Incredible Hulk Hogan, Marvel and AAA (the Mexican wrestling league, not the company that you call when you have a flat tire) have formed an unholy alliance to sell merchandise based on pro wrestlers based on Marvel Comics characters. You get the comic book fanboys. You get the wrestling marks. It's a plan so transparently greedy, it just might work! To pull it off, however, Marvel and AAA couldn't just make the merch and expect everyone to just fork over their cash. First, they had to put the characters in actual wrestling matches.
EL ARACNO
Real name: Alejandro "Alex" Arana.
Place of origin and residence: Mexico City, Mexico.
Inspired by: Spider-Man.
El Aracno was named after his father, Aracno Sr., who had to retire due to a serious injury. Before inheriting his name to his son, Aracno Sr. planned to pass it on to his most distinguished student, Adriano (now El Venenoide), who used to be close to the family, and even found a brother in Alex. However, this close tie was destroyed once Aracno Sr. realized that Adrian was not prepared to represent his legacy, and decided to pass his title on to his own son.
El Aracno is a technical wrestler, trained by El Leyenda Americana. Hence, he looks up to him as his mentor, and even thinks of him as an uncle, as he is such a good friend of his father's.
To Aracno, family comes first. He has a strong work ethic and is fully aware that hard work pays off.
EL LEYENDA AMERICANA
Real name: Hugo Andrews-González.
Place of origin: Andrews Virginia, EE.UU. He lives in Mexico City.
Inspired by: Captain America.
Hugo is the son of a US Army member and a young army nurse born in Mexico. Given his father's constant absence, Hugo spent his childhood by his mother side across various cities in the United States, and she taught him everything about the Mexican culture. Mexican music and classic cinema left a mark on him, especially wrestling films.
Living in Mexico has allowed him to practice wrestling, his great passion and his way of showing that justice and honor will always prevail. He is a 100% technical wrestler who seeks to serve as a role model. He is Aracno's mentor, to whom he offers training, protection and advice.
His nemesis is El Terror Purpura, as both are governed by opposite principles. While El Leyenda Americana seeks honor and justice, El Terror Purpura seeks power at all costs.
That went down at Triplemania, AAA's biggest event of the year, last weekend. Existing wrestlers were tasked with playing the roles of the fictional AAA wrestlers dressed like Marvel superheroes and villains. Lio Rush and Daga played the roles of the heroes, or babyfaces, or tecnicos, the Spider-Man-like Aracno and Captain-America-inspired Leyanda Americana. For the villains, or heels, or rudos, Black Taurus played the Venom-inspired El Venenoide, while Brian Cage donned the costume of El Terror Purpura.
EL VENENOIDE
Real name: Adriano Sanchez
Place of origin: Hidalgo, Mexico. He lives in Mexico City
Inspired by: Venom.
To escape a harsh childhood, El Venenoide left his hometown and traveled to Mexico City. Once there, he was welcomed and protected by Aracno's family and became virtually a brother to Alex (El Aracno).
He received training from Aracno Sr. until he became his best student and a distinguished wrestler, until he was taken into account to become Aracno's successor. However, his narcissistic personality and thirst for power led Adrian to another path, which totally break up the relationship with his adoptive family and, thus, created animosity towards Alex.
As El Venenoide, he wrestles by the side of tough wrestlers, although his training is based on a sound technical foundation. He has a ruthless and not very bright style; he is not a team player and frequently earns victories by cheating. He is a ring addict, and he consistently seeks to be the center of attention: the star.
EL TERROR PURPURA
Real name: Mauricio Mejia Torres. He is known to the world as El Terror Purpura.
Place of origin and residence: Mexico City, Mexico.
Inspired by: Thanos
Behind the mask of El Terror Purpura hides a successful businessman, who deals both with legal and shady business. He began wrestling when he finished his college studies, and from the very beginning, he concentrated on rigging bets.
To El Terror Purpura, wrestling is the perfect means to make a profit and demonstrating his power, an obsession of his. He has the permanent need to dominate. His main motto is to think that 'the end justifies the means', even when said means may not be entirely legal. El Terror Purpura is the depiction of a tough wrestler.
El Venenoide is one his loyal followers and subordinates, and rumor has it that he joined his ranks by means of a significant sum of money.
The merchandise is available now, true believers! See the produce of Marvel and AAA's crossover love in action here:
Chad McMahon, otherwise known as The Chadster, is a lifelong professional wrestling fan and now journalist. Chad’s interests also include comic books, movies, netflix, and other sports including football, baseball and basketball, both college and professional. Chad drives a Miata and is married to Keighleyanne. He loves WWE with all his heart and soul.
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