It is a true show with a series of simulated fights staged by professional athletes. Although it is seen by many as a sport, it is a private activity, without a national confederation, as is the case with MMA. The fighters rehearse the strikes and the results of the fight are agreed – which does not prevent lucha libre from being a public phenomenon in Mexico.
The tradition is more than 100 years old, but it only gained local strength in the 1930s, when the Mexican Salvador Lutteroth Gonzalez created, after going to the USA, the Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL), currently called Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre ( CMLL). The league competes with Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) for market dominance in Mexico, which still has small independent entities. With other names, the activity also moves millions in Japan and the USA, where WWE is the biggest representative.
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rehearsed beating
The fights are choreographed, but everyone has fun.
CLASS STRUGGLE
The arenas look like sports halls and the audience that fills the seats is a show in itself. Throughout the show, the ward of the owners of the cheapest tickets offends the buyers of the most expensive tickets and vice versa, with jokes that become unpublishable. Despite this, the rivalry rarely escalates into violence and lucha libre is considered a “family” program.
THE OTHER FACE
Although not everyone uses them, masks are very important because they give personality to the fighter, whose worst dishonor is having his identity revealed. They refer to the Aztec people and, in some families, are passed from father to son. From time to time, there are “luchas de apuesta”, in which the loser is forced to show his face or cut his hair.
GOOD VS EVIL
Lucha libre participants are divided into two types: technicians and rudos. The first are the “good guys” and represent Aztec warriors, saints and the Mexican worker. The rudos are the bandits, the corrupt and even the North Americans, who oppress and discriminate against the country’s population. But it’s worth saying that good doesn’t always triumph
PAU MANDATED
The results of fights, in general, are predetermined, since they need to follow a larger script that will have consequences in future fights. It’s almost like a soap opera. That doesn’t mean it’s easy: luchadores have an athlete’s routine, as they need a lot of physical preparation and training to execute the characteristic movements of combat (check out some on the next page)
GANG FIGHT
It is very common for a fight to have more than two athletes in the ring at the same time. Duos, trios and even quintets often face each other, making the arena a challenge to the fans’ ability to focus. In these cases, the team that immobilizes the most opponents on the ground wins. In certain fights, the use of objects such as ladders and chairs to defeat the rival is allowed.
MARKETING IS EVERYTHING
Companies divide athletes by category, as in MMA: lightweight, heavyweight, etc. There are championships to define the champions of each weight, whose winners receive belts. As the results are combined, there is no clear dispute system: the athlete evolves as he manages to “sell himself” to the fans and the organizers, getting better fights
WENT TO THE STRINGS
Despite everything being agreed, there are five ways to be defeated: to be immobilized with your back on the ground during the judge’s count to 3, to be kept out of the ring by the rival for 20 seconds, to announce withdrawal, to be disqualified (for taking the mask of the opponent, for example) and, more rarely, “excessive rudeness”, when one is beating the other too much
There are women fighters, but few. Female participation is reserved more for choreographies by cheerleaders
Despite the categories, it is common to see disproportionate fights, such as dwarfs against tall
Not infrequently, the title of champion of a category is vacant, because the winner signs a contract with another company or goes to fight abroad
beating guide
The scams are all fake, but they’re cool nonetheless. Meet the best
Caballo (Horse)
The luchador surprises the lying opponent from behind, grabbing his neck with both hands together and forcing him backwards
Huracanrana (hurricane frog)
The athlete puts his legs around the other’s neck and, even though he is upside down, he manages a momentum that makes the opponent do a somersault, taking him to the ground
Cangrejo (Crab)
The idea is to grab the opponent’s legs that are under you and, standing up, pull them back until he surrenders. In case it takes time, it is worth doing the same while holding only one leg
plancha (plank)
It consists of climbing the ropes of the ring and throwing yourself with everything on top of the rival, who is lying with his back on the ground. There is the “super” version, in which the jumper starts from the shoulder of one or two friends
bell (bell)
It consists of holding the legs of the opponent with the arms, who until then was lying down. Next, grab his arms with your hands. Okay, now just hold the opponent’s body and swing it
Tapatía (born in Guadalajara)
With the rival lying on the front, the athlete steps on his thighs and pulls him by the arms. Next, he throws himself on his back on the ground while lifting the opponent with the strength of his legs.
Considered the greatest luchador of all time, Técnico El Santo has starred in over 50 films. He died in 1984 and was buried with his mask on.
The most famous noise in history, Blue Demon was the great rival of El Santo. He died in 2000 and his adopted son today also fights
Zumbi Brasil is a São Paulo based in Mexico who survives as an independent athlete. Mixes elements of capoeira and samba
Sources Lucha Libre Mexicana – Masks Through Timeby Julio Crespo, La Lucha Librework done for the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, websites How Stuff Works, CMLL, AAA It is Superluchas.Net
Consultancy Zumbi Brasil, lucha libre athlete, and Apolo Valdés, journalist and lucha libre editor for MedioTiempo.com