The XFL announced its team names and mascots in the Fall of 2022, and there were plenty of familiar ones on the docket.
A few teams, the D.C. Defenders, Houston Roughnecks and St. Louis BattleHawks were exactly the same as the ones that competed in the league's initial reboot in 2020. Several others had minor changes, with the Seattle Dragons becoming the "Sea Dragons" and the Renegades, Guardians and Vipers moving to Arlington, Orlando and Vegas resecptively.
And then, there was the San Antonio Brahmas. They were the new team that drew into the XFL to replace the Los Angeles Wildcats, and the league decided to give them a full rebrand as a result.
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The move to put a team in San Antonio made sense considering how football-crazed the state of Texas is. However, the mascot choice left many others across the country asking a significant question.
What exactly is a "Brahma?"
Here's what to know about the Brahmas mascot and why Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was likely behind the mascot choice for the XFL's San Antonio franchise.
What is a Brahma?
The term "Brahma" is, in this case, an abbreviation for the American Brahman, which is a type of bull that has been bred in the United States since 1885. The bull was created after a type of humped cattle imported from Asia cross-bred with the cattle already established in the country.
The American Brahman has become a popular cattle breed around the world now thanks to its thick skin — good for warding off parasites — and ability to survive in hot and humid conditions. It is the most common breed of cattle in Australia for that reason.
Brahma also has a couple of other meanings. It is a particular breed of chicken that was founded via a similar method to the American Brahman. Brahma also is a Hindu god who is a member of the trinity of supreme divinity. He is known as "the Creator" while Vishnu is "the Preserver" and Shiva is "the Destroyer."
But the Brahma that the San Antonio XFL team will be using as a mascot is the bull. That's why their logo comes in the shape of a long-horned bull.
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Dwayne Johnson and the Brahma bull
There's little doubt that Dwayne Johnson had a significant say in the decision to roll with the Brahma bull as the San Antonio mascot.
Why? Because Johnson has long used the Brahma as his personal mascot. He had one tattooed on his arm in Chicago in the late 1990s before evolving it to a full sleeve nearly 20 years later. The bull has always been a part of that tattoo, and it has been emblazoned on his apparel throughout the years as well.
Additionally, Johnson hosted his own signature match when he was in WWE known as the "Brahma Bullrope match. He contested it twice during his wrestling career.
It makes sense that Johnson would try to inject his branding into one of the XFL teams given that he is one of the owners of the rebooted spring league. The mascot worked well with the San Antonio franchise thanks to the historical significance of cattle breeding in Texas. Too, the logo looks sharp, so few will complain about the decision.
