Victor Ortega is probably someone that you don't even think about when it comes to Capcom fighting games. This is probably because Ortega has never been in a numbered Street Fighter. He appears in the extended universe, in the Muscle Bomber / Saturday Night Slam Masters series to be precise. This character is important to the history of Street Fighter for a number of reasons.
Victor represents the pinnacle of pro wrestling in the Street Fighter universe. He was the only CWA (Capcom Wrestling Association) athlete to go undefeated in his career. He retired with the belt but came back years later when a new crop of wrestlers sprang up. Victor's design was very much rooted in actual wrestling history. Going as far back as the '70s with bodybuilder-turned-wrestler Superstar Billy Graham. Graham had an amazing physique and was brilliant on the microphone. Some of the best wrestlers were memorable for their interviews rather than their in-ring ability. The Superstar was the template from which characters like Jessie Ventura and Hulk Hogan were cut.
The person that designed the majority of the pro wrestlers in the Capcom universe was Tetsuo Hara. He was the artist and half the creative team behind Hokuto No Ken / Fist of the North Star. I have already mentioned that the muscular boss with facial hair was most likely inspired by the character Toki. Mr. Hara was a big fan of pro wrestling and helped create a variation of many of the top babyfaces (good guys) and heels (bad guys) for Capcom. It stood to reason that the wrestling champion for the Capcom universe would look like an exaggerated version of a real title holder. Victor Ortega had an amazing physique, possibly the most muscular person in the Capcom universe, including Mad Gear bosses Abigail and Freddie.
Despite his age Victor Ortega is impossibly fit but thanks to his age he is also an incredibly experienced. Combining his insane strength with his striking and grappling ability makes him one of the most underrated fighters in the universe. It would be nice to see this undefeated champion make an appearance in the Street Fighter series. Who do you think was the best wrestler in the Street Fighter universe? I'd like to know. As always if you enjoyed this blog and would like to sponsor me
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