What is a Brahma? Explaining San Antonio XFL team’s unique mascot and its connection to Dwayne Johnson

The XFL announced its team names and mascots in fall 2022, and there were many familiar ones on the list.

Some teams, the DC Defenders, Houston Roughnecks and St. Louis BattleHawks were exactly the same as those that competed in the league’s first restart of 2020. Several others have had minor changes, with the Seattle Dragons becoming the “Sea Dragons” and the Renegades, Guardians, and Vipers moving to Arlington, Orlando, and Vegas, respectively.

And then there were the San Antonio Brahmas. They were the new team moving 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 place a team in San Antonio made sense given how football-mad the state of Texas is. However, the choice of mascot left many others across the country asking an important question.

What exactly is a “Brahma”?

Here’s what you should know about the Brahmas mascot and why Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was likely behind the choice of the mascot for the XFL’s San Antonio franchise.

What is a Brahma?

The term “Brahma” in this case is an abbreviation for the American Brahman, a breed of bull bred in the United States since 1885. bred with cattle already established in the country.

The American Brahman has become a popular breed of cattle around the world thanks to its thick skin – good for repelling parasites – and its ability to survive in hot and humid conditions. Because of this, it is the most common breed of cattle in Australia.

Brahma has a few other meanings as well. It is a special breed of chickens that was established using a method similar to the American Brahman. Brahma is also 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 use as their mascot is the bull. That’s why their logo is in the shape of a long-horned bull.

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Dwayne Johnson and the Brahma Bull

There’s no doubt that Dwayne Johnson had a significant say in the decision to roll with the Brahma bull as San Antonio’s mascot.

Why? Because Johnson has long used the Brahma as his personal mascot. He got one tattooed on his arm in Chicago in the late 1990s before developing it into a full sleeve nearly 20 years later. The bull has always been a part of this tattoo and has also featured on his clothing over the years.

Additionally, Johnson hosted his own signature match while in WWE, known as the “Brahma Bullrope Match.” He contested it twice during his wrestling career.

It makes sense that Johnson would seek to bring his branding to one of the XFL teams given he is one of the owners of the newly started Spring League. The mascot worked well with the San Antonio franchise thanks to the historical importance of cattle farming in Texas. Plus, the logo looks sharp, so few will complain about the decision.