Germán Figueroa Sullivan (born May 6, 1975) is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler, actor and mixed martial artist better known as "El León" Apollo (alternatively spelled "Apolo") and El León. Figueroa began performing in Puerto Rico's independent circuit, before entering the International Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Council. Abroad, he has made appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and Ring Ka King, among others. Figueroa has also been signed to WWE and held an administrative role in World Warriors Wrestling (WWW). Professional wrestling career Figueroa was originally a professional basketball player, and represented Puerto Rico in a game against the United States basketball team in Madison Square Garden in 1991. Figueroa first became involved with professional wrestling by performing in the local independent circuit, performing as "Peter el Stripper". He subsequently migrated to Mexico, adopting the masked persona of "Power Man", wrestling along veteran luchador Silver Star. International Wrestling Association (1999–2006, 2007) After deciding to become a professional wrestler, Figueroa trained under Hector Soto, Savio Vega, Miguel Pérez, Jr. and others and debuted in the Puerto Rican International Wrestling Association in 1999 as Nuevo Gran Apolo ("New Great Apolo"), facing Andy Anderson. He quickly ascended the ranks of the promotion, at first forming a tag team with Ricky Banderas known as the Nueva Generación ("New Generation"). They first won the IWA Tag Team Championships on May 7, 2000 in Moca, defeating the Starr Corporation. They held the titles twice more that year, but on August 6, a day after their third reign began, Banderas turned on Figueroa and named Miguelito Pérez as his new partner. In 2001 Figueroa and Pérez formed a tag team, and on February 24 they won the IWA Tag Team Championships, making Figueroa a four-time tag team champion. On March 23, however, Pérez no-showed a scheduled title defence, and Figueroa fell to the Starr Corporation in a de facto handicap match. Having been betrayed by two tag team partners, Figueroa decided to focus on the richest prize in the IWA; the IWA Heavyweight Championship. His goal was swiftly realized; on June 16, 2001 in Bayamón Figueroa defeating reigning champion Ricky Banderas and Tiger Ali Singh in a Three Way match to become IWA World Champion. He lost the title to Pain on September 29, who in turn lost to Glamour Boy Shane. Figueroa began feuding with Shane over the title,