Brazo de Plata (1963-2021)

Brazo de Plata, also known as Super Porky (José Luis Alvarado Nieves, 58) passed away Monday. Brazo de Plata is a former CMLL World Heavyweight Championship and held the most important trios titles of his day, but he’ll be remembered above all for his incredible charisma. He was among the greatest comedy wrestlers of all time, capable of getting sympathy and laughs at the same moment. Porky began his career as a lightweight wrestler, but he’s most famous as an increasingly overweight one, with his large gut making his agile movements even more of a spectacle. Brazo de Plata was the last living member of the famous Los Brazos brothers trio; El Brazo passed in 2013, Brazo de Oro in 2017. His survivors include luchadors Goya Kong, Muneca de Plata, Maximo, and AAA top star Psycho Clown, who wrestled as Brazo de Plata Jr. when he first arrived in AAA.

Brazo de Plata was the second of the Brazo siblings to make his debut. Journeyman luchador Shadito Cruz wrestled and then became a referee; his sons worked jobs at the wrestling show and competed in amateur wrestling. Older brother Brazo de Oro took that name from a movie, his brother played off the name with his own metallic color, and many more siblings would follow suit. Brazo de Plata started his career in 1977, as Promociones Mora/UWA had gained momentum and created many new spots for wrestlers. Brazo de Plata & Brazo de Oro were a regular team by 1979, making occasional Toreo appearances while also becoming regulars at Arena Naucalpan.

El Brazo joined as a trio and created a natural rivalry with the Villano brothers. Those units, as well as the Misionerios del Muerte, were the first regular set trios units in Mexico, and their feud helped popularize the concept. The Villanos & Brazos feuded through the 80s, ending with a legendary (if hard to find) mask match in Monterrey, where the Brazos were all unmasked. Brazo de Plata was already a charismatic luchador, and was able to show even more emotion unmasked. The team stayed popular working in both UWA and EMLL, and sticking with EMLL after the AAA split. They split apart in 1995, and Brazo de Plata stayed popular as a singles comedy wrestler. Super Porky would eventually become known as for losing hair match after hair match, but he started out as successful in those in the 90s. Perhaps they eventually discovered people were going to love Brazo de Plata the same even if he lost the big match, and he was content taking the payoff.

Brazo de Plata spent most of his post-trio career in CMLL, though not all of it. He jumped to AAA in 2006, unhappy about his role and CMLL’s limited plans for his children outside of Maximo. Porky brought along his other son, who had floundered as Kronos in CMLL, and returned him to his Brazo de Plata Jr. gimmick. That didn’t work out all that much better, but it got that wrestler in AAA when they were casting for new clown characters and turned Porky’s son into Psycho Clown. Brazo de Plata’s own time in AAA didn’t seem to go as well as he hoped – AAA was leaning into a more a serious presentation and didn’t always seem to have an idea what to do with Super Porky – but his move changed the promotion’s future.

Super Porky returned to CMLL in 2009, eventually becoming an incredibly useful asset for their increasingly tourist-centric shows. He was no longer the athlete of years past, yet he was a great guy to entertain those who had no idea what was going on with his silly comedy moments. There are few who could get the crowd to react as easily as he could, and even fewer now.

Brazo de Plata’s last few years were unpleasant. Porky had publicized heart issues, to the point of doing fake heart attacks in matches as comedy spots. He broke a leg in 2016, lacked the resources to get it properly fixed, and was told by doctors that he’d first have to lose weight before he could be operated on. He needed a walker and a wheelchair at various points, though he’d been moving better of late. He’d be left poor, blaming it on being swindled in various relationships, and appeared to largely be supported by his children. Video of an argument between Porky and those who he felt owed him money got some attention a couple of weeks ago; it didn’t put either side in a positive light. There had always been stories of a quick temper and personal issues in the past, though those had been overshadowed by his wrestling career. Brazo de Plata remained beloved by wrestling fans at shows until the end, but life was harder for him away from that spotlight.

Brazo de Plata’s last great rival was Rey Escorpion. The two had a memorable hair match in 2013, one which seemed to be set up by the son Maximo avenging his father later on. CMLL never got around to it and Rey Escorpion left the promotion. He eventually ended up in AAA, where he started feuding with another son Psycho Clown. Brazo de Plata will be remembered in the weeks and days ahead, and quite likely in the main event of TripleMania in a few weeks. Brazo de Plata be remembered there and every other lucha libre show for a while to come.