Down Mexico Way

In the world of professional wrestling, smaller individuals often have to work extra hard to earn the respect of fans and promoters. This situation describes El Blaze to a tee. The lightning-fast luchador took on all comers in the light-heavyweight division, but he watched from the sidelines while heavyweights like Wolf Hawkfield got all the glory. He entered the Fifth World Fighting Tournament to prove that he was the best wrestler on the planet, but he was really only trying to convince himself. His colorful moves impressed anyone who watched him, but he burned with jealousy and envy. Win or lose, El Blaze’s high-flying lucha libre fighting style makes him one of the most entertaining characters on the Virtua Fighter roster. As an added bonus, his epic mask collection is almost as flashy as his repertoire of wrestling moves.

Amingo is a big-bellied, sombrero-wearing cactus who travels around with an acoustic guitar. (The Mexican references are anything but subtle.) While investigating a mighty wind that was eroding his desert home, he encounters all kinds of powerful opponents. It would be easy to describe him as a walking stereotype and call it a day, but Amingo deserves credit for holding his own against Capcom all-stars and iconic superheroes. To that end, he catches his foes off guard by creating tiny cactus clones and changing the shape of his body. It’s often speculated that Amingo was designed for an unreleased Capcom game, and it has also been suggested that he was a rejected Darkstalkers character. He speaks exclusively by repeating his own name, so I personally think he’d be right at home in the Pokémon universe.

Abraham Reyes was born into a rich family and lived in the lap of luxury when he was growing up. He was told from a young age that everyone would know his name someday, and this line of thinking informed his megalomania. When he grew older, he became a guerrilla leader in Northern Mexico and aimed to inspire social reform through violent revolution. As he battled the Mexican Army, his charisma allowed him to recruit new followers to his cause. As a philanderer who bathed in hypocrisy, Reyes had all the makings of a politician. He longed to become president of Mexico, but the dude was straight-up racist and I don’t think anyone was surprised when he became a tyrant. During the events of Undead Nightmare, he put the entire world at risk when he found an ancient Aztec mask and accidentally awakened the dead across the land.

The majority of Mexican characters in the fighting game world practice lucha libre, but Jose “Pepe” Rodriguez is more traditional. He discovered an ancient scroll in the jungle during his childhood, and he secretly practiced the martial arts techniques that were described within. He didn’t realize it at the time, but the scroll in question was made by Aztec warriors and was intended for the sky god, Quetzalcoatl. Pepe’s sense of justice makes him a local hero, but he longs to test his skills against the world’s greatest fighters. Upbeat, energetic, and eternally optimistic, Pepe’s charismatic magnetism drives his popularity with both men and women. He occasionally gets into trouble on account of his adventurous spirit, but it’s hard not to be taken in by his outgoing personality. He probably earns a few more female fans every time he takes off his shirt.

Before she was known as Sombra, Olivia Colomar was among the thousands who were orphaned when a bunch of AI robots went buck-wild. Mexico’s infrastructure was destroyed in the conflict, but her computer knowledge allowed her to survive. After she was taken in by a group of revolutionaries, she quickly became one of the world’s most notorious hackers. Incidentally, she was concerned that Mexico’s rebuilding efforts were leaving behind the people who required the most assistance. She had always had a gift for manipulation, and the information she gathered gave her added leverage against the controlling class. She became even more dangerous after a cybernetic implant gave her the ability to hack technology through touch alone. Sombra initiated a world-wide hacking spree, and her efforts inspired great change in Mexico.

Shadows of the Damned follows Garcia “Fucking” Hotspur on his quest to save his girlfriend from the Lord of Demons. As he ventures to the City of the Damned, he’s accompanied by a shape-shifting sidekick named Johnny, who also acts as his gun, torch, and motorcycle. Garcia describes himself as a hunter of demons and slayer of pendejos, and he’s completely unmoved by the fact that everyone around him wants to feed on his flesh. I guess he’s the kind of guy who likes to live dangerously. When he’s not hunting demons, the leather-clad renegade is likely riding motorcycles, getting a new tattoo, or finding another unstable girl to bang. Most of the game takes place in the underworld and Garcia’s background is largely unclear, but he never forgets where he came from. In one instance, he actually says, “I’m a Mexican, not a Mexican’t!”

Thunder Hawk deserves a mention for being the first Mexican to join the Street Fighter roster, but I’m more partial to El Fuerte’s acrobatic style. He’s one of the fastest fighters in the series, and his airborne attacks can keep his opponents guessing. Seemingly every fighting game has a token luchador, but El Fuerte pulls double duty as a wrestler and a chef. He travels the world to perfect his lucha libre skills, and he also aims to improve his cooking abilities along the way. He insists that”the ultimate fighter deserves the ultimate menu,” but most people who try his food are disgusted by it. Nevertheless, he’s always willing to cook for his adversaries. He’s defined more by food than he is by fighting, and he even names all of his moves after Mexican dishes. You don’t want to get in the way of his Quesadilla Bomb.

Of all the Mexican characters in the King of Fighters universe, Angel is the least stereotypical. Ramon and Tizoc are high-flying luchadors, but Angel stole half of her moves from the Rock. (She even does the People’s Elbow!) Lucha libre has a strong presence on this list already, but a free spirit like Angel really stands out. Angel once worked as an assassin for a secret organization known as NESTS, but she’s surprisingly playful for someone with a propensity for violence. She rides motorcycles, attends concerts, drinks tequila, and flirts with everyone she meets. While under contract with NESTS, Angel’s body was enhanced to give her superhuman strength, speed, and stamina. Her body looks like it was enhanced in other ways too, and her giant fun bags remind us all that Mexico is a matriarchal society.

King was an orphan who grew up brawling in the streets. After he was seriously injured, he found refuge in a monastery and eventually became a Catholic priest. To realize his dream of building an orphanage, he turned to the world of pro wrestling to fund his endeavors. Although he had renounced his fighting ways, he was able to conceal his identity by donning a jaguar mask. He was an imposing force within the wrestling ring, but the “Beast Priest” was a soft-hearted man who valued friendship over grudges. King was tragically killed by an ancient monster, but his legacy carried on after his death since a street urchin began wearing his mask and imitating his style. As a man, King was flesh and blood, but as a symbol he was everlasting. In one form or another, King has been featured in every Tekken game thus far.

No one embraces Mexican culture quite like Juan Aguacate. After he was killed by a charro skeleton, the former agave farmer was revived by a mystical mask that blessed him with supernatural abilities and phenomenal luchador powers. He also learned a myriad of new skills as he relentlessly pursued his assassin. His adventures draw inspiration from traditional Mexican folklore, and he’s forced to contend with mariachi bands, poncho-wearing banditos, and diabolic cactuses. It’s a tall order to rescue El Presidente’s Daughter, but no one is better equipped to save Mexico than an undead luchador with vengeance on the mind. He’s always prepared to piledrive evil, and he can even turn himself into a chicken if the situation calls for it! There is no better choice for the number Juan spot on this list.