Glittering in sequined shorts and balancing on the top rope of the wrestling ring, a masked man leaps into the air. Below him, a dazed wrestler looks up at his tormentor.
The masked fellow flies through the air, recorded on cell phones by hundreds of adoring fans. He lands on top of his target’s shoulders and wraps his legs around the victim’s throat.
What follows next defies logic. Our attacking warrior flips his opponent and himself through 270 degrees, pinning the defeated’s back to the canvas while sitting on his chest.
¡Uno!
¡Dos!
¡Tres!
The crowd goes wild! What they have just witnessed was lucha libre wrestler Rey Mysterio’s West Coast Pop, his version of the famous huracána rana (frog hurricane) move.
Welcome to the world of lucha libre, Mexico’s flamboyant national sport. Let’s explore this fascinating arena of costume and drama — and get a glimpse of this worldwide phenomenon.
What Are the Origins of Mexican Lucha Libre?
The glam theater of lucha libre in Mexico is represented in the Mexican saying “Circo, maroma, y teatro,” or “circus, stunts, and theater.”
Lucha libre’s roots come from Greco-Roman wrestling, which, in turn, defined 18th-century British wrestling. The British exported this sport to the Americas during their colonization. Later, it spread from the United States down into Mexico as an attraction at fairs and circuses.
In 1863, Antonio Pérez de Prian learned the sport and set up a lucha libre gym in Mexico City. He took the moniker El Alcídes Mexicano, or the Mexican Alcides. In Greek mythology, Alcides is also known as Hercules, a god famed for his strength and courage, apt for the discipline.
Pérez increased the popularity of the sport across Mexico and by 1903, Lucha Libre Mexicana had its first national champion, Enrique Ugartechea.
Who Founded Lucha Libre Mexicana?
Within 30 years, Salvador Lutteroth González, lucha libre’s most famous promoter, had founded the Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL), or Mexican Wrestling Company.
EMLL and González organized the first official lucha libre fight on September 21, 1933, at the Arena México in Mexico City. A crucial founding myth was born that day. Firstly, Mexican wrestlers faced discrimination in the United States. Secondly, that these Mexican wrestlers were superior to their U.S. counterparts. The theme of good and evil touched upon then coursed through the veins of Mexican wrestling.
Today, the EMLL still operates under the name Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Co., Ltd. or CMLL. And the debate still rages as to whose wrestlers are the best. Meanwhile, wrestling has become a multi-billion-dollar industry across the globe.
For anyone watching lucha libre Mexican wrestling for the first time, it’s essential to get a grip on the rules — written and unwritten — of this spectacular and showy sport.
What Are the Rules for Lucha Libre?
Don’t expect too many rules as lucha libre translates literally into English as “free-style fight.”
There are no points like in Olympic wrestling. The wrestlers, or luchadores in Spanish, most commonly pin their opponent to the canvas for a count of three, with two pins required out of three potential fights. Each round lasts two minutes. A victory also comes from an opponent submitting, a disqualification, or being counted out of the ring for 20. Referees can also award the win to a superior luchador.
The defining victory is one of the only rules followed in Mexico’s lucha libre. People come to be entertained and see a spectacular (and usually choreographed) show. There’s also a lot of audience participation with booing, cheering, and heckling. And there’s no denying that lucha libre revels in flaunting its glamor.
Why Do Mexican Wrestlers Dress Up?
A wrestling mask, called a máscara in Spanish, is one of the most recognizable parts of a luchador’s identity. A masked wrestler fights to protect their anonymity. Indeed, being unmasked is a dishonor, and masked wrestlers will battle all odds to defend their honor and name. But not all wrestlers fight with masks.
El Murciélago Enmascarado, or the Masked Bat, was the first masked wrestler in 1938. He wore a black mask and outfit and would release bats from under his cape when climbing into the ring.
The máscara is also an integral part of la lucha, or the fight.
What Are Luchas de Apuestas?
Some matches go further than a simple wrestle. Luchas de Apuestas means a wrestle with a wager and often settles feuds between luchadores. The stakes are always high for these fights.
Máscara contra máscara (mask versus mask): This is the most iconic of fights. Two masked fighters bet their masks. The loser loses their mask, revealing their identity and often their real name.
Máscara contra cabellera (mask versus hair): A masked wrestler fights an unmasked wrestler. If the masked wrestler loses, they lose their mask. If the unmasked wrestler loses, they have their head shaved as a point of humiliation.
Cabellera contra cabellera (hair versus hair): The loser of this bout has their head shaved whether they’re masked or unmasked wrestlers. Masked wrestlers need only remove enough of the mask to have their hair shaved.
These fights are much more popular than the actual championships or campeonatos. The titles are divided into weight classes, similar to boxing.
You’ll find heavyweights and light-heavyweights, with the most popular being cruiserweight in Luclha libre. Some feuds between fights develop over time and end with a championship battle. There is usually at least one title fight every year.
Técnicos vs. Rudos: Good Fights Evil
Like all good shows, the theme of good against evil and the righteous against the sinners runs through lucha libre.
The Rudos (The Heels) are the bad boys. They’ll cheat and scheme their way to victory, employing underhand tactics that get the crowd out of their seats. Many wear dark clothing to tie in with their image.
In contrast, the Técnicos (technicians) are the good guys, playing, in theory, by the rules. Their lighter-colors costumes are in keeping with the idea of light being a positive force.
Another popular fight setup sees three wrestlers on each team; one representing the rudos, the other team técnicos. There is a referee for each side to keep an eye on tricks. The winners must pin either the opposing team’s captain or both of the other two wrestlers.
What Are Some Trademark Lucha Libre Wrestling Moves?
Above all else, lucha libre is an artistic expression in professional wrestling form. The luchadores blend acting skills with incredible acrobatic routines to create a stylized fighting sequence that is impressive when seen in person or on screen.
Flamboyant aerial maneuvers, twists, jumps, and out-of-the-ring battles are all common. Many wrestlers have signature moves.
Here are some of the most famous lucha libre moves:
Rana (frog): Developed by Huracán Ramírez, the rana sees a wrestler jump and wrap their legs around an opponent’s throat. They then use their body weight to flip their trapped opponent 270 degrees to land on their back on the canvas. This classic has many variations, including Rey Mysterio’s West Coast Pop.
Topé suicida (suicide dive): An unsuspecting opponent stumbling around outside the ring should look out. Luchadores dive through the ropes and splash down onto them from a great height with the topé suicida.
Topé con hilo (threading the dive): As above, but the attacking wrestler adds a flip on their leap from the ring to the floor.
Pescado (fish): A wrestler flies at an opponent’s chest and splashes horizontally against them, knocking them to the ground.
La magistral cradle (the majestic cradle): A complex move that leaves an opponent dazed, confused, trussed up, and trapped for the count of three.
Plancha (the iron): A prone wrestler’s misery is compounded when their opponent leaps from the top ropes and splashes down onto their body.
Look out for those wrestlers who might use chairs or any other objects nearby to crash over their foes’ bodies!
Where Can I Watch Lucha Libre Wrestling?
Mexico City is the iconic lucha libre viewing hotspot. Arena México and the Arena Coliseo are the most famous in the genre’s history.
Across Mexico, there are many possibilities for lucha libre. Many cities and towns have meetings. In the United States, Los Angeles has several lucha libre venues. For something different, Lucha VaVOOM offers a very modern mix of wrestling, burlesque, and comedy commentating.
You don’t need to leave your home to get in on the action, though. Many Americans may have seen Mexican wrestling on Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide pay-per-view. Often called AAA or Triple-A, Antonio Peña set up AAA in 1992 to help promote lucha libre across the globe.
Are There Female Lucha Libre Wrestlers?
Yes, the female section of lucha libre wrestling is very popular. It’s as showy, athletic, and flamboyant as their male counterparts’ fights.
The first official lucha came in 1955, albeit there then came a 30-year ban in Mexico City. Famous female wrestlers include Lady Apache, Chabela Romero, and Irma Gonzalez.
Who Are the Most Famous Mexican Lucha Libre Wrestlers?
U.S. audiences may associate lucha libre with the 2006 movie “Nacho Libre” starring comic actor Jack Black. Amazingly, Nacho Libre was based on real life. A priest named Fray Tormenta moonlighted as a lucha libre wrestler to fund a local orphanage.
Others will recall Rey Mysterio, considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time who still practices his art. Mysterio, billed from San Diego, started life with the AAA franchise at 17. His comparatively slight frame — he stands at 5’ 6” and weighs 175 pounds — hasn’t stopped him from winning multiple titles. Mysterio currently fights on the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) circuit in the U.S. and boasts more than 4.4 million followers on Instagram.
In Mexico, perhaps the wrestler with the greatest success was El Santo (The Saint). He went from being a bad boy Rudo to a good guy during his 48-year career, debuting in 1942. El Santo appeared in comics, TV shows, and films, wearing his trademark plata (silver) mask. He was never unmasked and only once, voluntarily, revealed his identity. The Saint also often appeared alongside his in-ring rival, Alejandro Muñoz Moreno, known as the Blue Demon.
Other notable wrestlers include Eddie Guerrero, a popular Rudo who would do anything to win a match, endearing him to the public, Mil Máscaras, and current fighters called Místico and Atlantis.
Perro Aguayo fought from the 1970s-1990s. His trademark was “blading,” the act of cutting himself to draw blood, and drama, to the fight. Sadly, tragedy would visit Aguayo’s family, showing how dangerous professional wrestling can be. His son Perro Aguayo Junior died during a wrestling match after receiving a kick to the head in his fight with Ray Mysterio.
Lucha Libre Mexican Wrestling: Where Art and Glamour Combine
Lucha libre is one of many examples of Mexico’s ingenious people giving an imported culture its own delicious twist. From the formality of British wrestling evolved a vibrant art and fight form. It places equal emphasis on strength and skill with that of drama and glamor.
Its early days saw many place it as inferior to other traditional wrestling forms. But Mexico believed in its stylized fighting that gave the public what it wanted, all wrapped up in incredible skill sets.
Lucha libre’s appearance in comics and movies exposed a global audience to its narratives of good against evil and television extended this reach. Today, fans sustain their beliefs during the fights to immerse themselves in what is a spectacular display of acrobatics, choreography, and strength, with captivating backstories to drag you in. It’s like WWE but with Mexican flair.
Whether you watch on pay-per-view or in person, lucha libre’s colorful history and present means you may get hooked on this larger-than-life, fairytale-esque show.
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