Gran Apache

Early life Mario Balbuena González was born on April 19, 1959, in Mexico City, Mexico. Growing up, Balbuena was interested both in sports and music, so much so that by the age of 14 he was already part of a Salsa band and was hoping to make that his career. who invited the athletic Balbuena to come train with them. Initially, he had no specific interest in lucha libre, but as soon as he started to train he was hooked by the physicality of the sport. While in Japan Balbuena portrayed various masked characters such as Jabagengi, with a mask like a monkey, and Lion, a wrestling lion, before leaving Japan in 1995. Balbuena returned to Japan in 2000 for a short stint to work for CMLL Japan, using the masked character "Kimba". Starting in 2001 Balbuena, as Gran Apache, returned to Japan, working for Michinoku Pro off and on for several years both wrestling and training Japanese wrestlers.

AAA / Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (1995–2017) In 1995 Balbuena joined Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide as both a wrestler and a trainer, later becoming the head trainer for AAA. The masked gimmick allowed the veteran wrestlers to train younger wrestlers by working against them and even allowed various trainees to work as "Chiva Rayada III". The storyline AAA presented depicted Gran Apache as the "overprotective father" who did not think that Billy Boy was good enough for her daughter. The storyline, sometimes described as a Telenovela, began when Billy Boy began showing up ringside during Faby's matches with flowers and signs professing his love for her. Gran Apache objected to the relationship and attacked Billy Boy as he was not "worthy" of his daughter. The storyline played out over several years and even had the birth of Billy Boy and Faby's son Marvin written into the storyline. At one point Gran Apache defeated Billy Boy, forcing him to not have anything to do with either Faby Apache or his son Marvin. Following the loss the storyline was that Billy Boy was so depressed that he was committed to a mental institution. During an in-ring celebration of Gran Apache's 50 years in professional wrestling, Billy Boy attacked his father-in-law with a steel chair, injuring Apache's knee so he had to be taken from the ring on a stretcher. This turn of events was written into the storyline due to Gran Apache actually suffering a knee injury, and this was used as a way to explain why he was not able to wrestle. The storyline later ended when Faby Apache defeated Billy Boy in a Steel Cage match at the 2009 Verano de Escándalo show.

Later years (2010–2017) After the Apache family feud ended Gran Apache focused primarily on working with younger luchadors, teaching them how to plan out matches and work in front of live audiences by wrestling against them on AAA shows. In 2016 his daughters Faby and Mari became involved in a feud with a group of males known as Los OGT (Averno, Chessman and Ricky Marvin), initially siding with the men, claiming that "men were superior wrestlers". At Héroes Inmortales X Los OGT defeated the Apaches. In the spring of 2017 Los Apaches were scheduled to face Los OGT for the AAA World Trios Championship, but Mari had suffered a serious injury and Gran Apache was unable to compete; at the time they did not explain the health issues he was dealing with. Instead of the trios match Faby Apache wrestled against Ricky Marvin, defeating him to win the AAA World Trios Championship on behalf of her family. Neither Mari nor Gran Apache ever appeared in AAA to defend the championship. On April 21 Faby, teaming with Psycho Clown and Dr. Wagner Jr., lost the championship to El Poder del Norte (Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr. and Soul Rocker).

Wrestling trainer Having worked as the AAA head trainer for over a decade and as a trainer off and on since the mid-1980s, Balbuena had a hand in training almost every young wrestler that worked for AAA during the period of time, as well as many non-AAA wrestlers who attended his wrestling school. He was often cited as one of the best trainers of female wrestlers, starting in the mid-1980s where very few trainers would even consider working with women.

Personal life and death Balbuena had four daughters and was married at least twice. Balbuena and his first wife were the parents of Mariella Balbuena Torres (Mari Apache) born in 1979 and Fabiola Balbuena Torres (Faby Apache) born in 1980 and a third daughter before divorcing. In 1986 Balbuena married Sandra González Calderón (Lady Apache), and together the couple had one daughter before divorcing later on.

Championships and accomplishments AAA / Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Faby Apache (1) and Mari Apache (1) Pavillón Azteca Pavillón Azteca Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Gran Apache II Pro Wrestling Illustrated PWI ranked him #229 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2002

Luchas de Apuestas record

Winner (wager)Loser (wager)LocationEventDateNotesGran Apache (hair) Perro Salvaje (hair) Mexico City, Mexico Live event Gran Apache (hair) Escudero Rojo Pista (hair) Mexico City, Mexico Live event Rocco Valente (hair) Gran Apache (hair) Mexico City, Mexico Live event Gran Apache (hair) Loco Valentino (hair) León, Guanajuato Live event Gran Apache (hair) Cuerno de Chivo (hair) Monterrey, Nuevo León Live event Chiva Rayada I (mask) Gladiador Fantasma (mask) San Juan Pantitlan Live event Mosco de la Merced (hair) Gran Apache (hair) León, Guanajuato Live event Gran Apache (hair) Billy Boy (hair) Guadalajara, Jalisco Live event Gran Apache (hair) Mohicano I (hair) Pachuca, Hidalgo Live event

Footnotes