Lucha libre (
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
for "free wrestling" or
free fighting) is a term used in
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and other Spanish-speaking countries referring to a form of
professional wrestlingProfessional wrestling, or pro wrestling, is an athletic performing art where matches are prearranged by the promotion's booking staff. It is a non-competitive sport which contains strong elements of theatre, mock combat, and catch wrestling. Wrestling's origins date to 19th-century carnival...
involving varied techniques and moves.
Mexican wrestling is characterized by rapid sequences of holds and moves, as well as
'high-flying moves'Aerial techniques are maneuvers, using the ring and its posts and ropes as aids, used in professional wrestling to show off the speed and agility of a wrestler. These moves are mainly done by smaller, quicker wrestlers who are unable to do most of the power moves. There is a wide variety of aerial...
, some of which have been adopted in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and colorful masks. Lucha libre has also transcended the language barrier to some extent as evidenced by works such as
Mucha Lucha and
Nacho LibreNacho Libre is a 2006 comedy film directed by Jared Hess. It is a production of Nickelodeon Movies.The script was written by Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess, and Mike White. It was loosely based on the story of Fray Tormenta , aka Rev. Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez, a real-life Mexican Catholic priest who had...
. Lucha libre performers are known as
luchadores (singular
luchador).
Rules
The rules of lucha libre are similar to American singles matches. Matches can be won by pinning the opponent to the mat for the count of three, making him submit, knocking him out of the ring for a pre-determined count (generally twenty) or by disqualification. Using the ropes for leverage is illegal and once a luchador is on the ropes, his opponent must release any holds and he will not be able to pin him.
Disqualifications occur when an opponent uses an illegal hold, move (such as the piledriver, which is an illegal move in lucha libre and grounds for immediate disqualification, though some variations are legal in certain promotions), or weapon, hits his opponent in the groin (
faul), uses outside interference, attacks the referee, or rips his opponent's mask completely off. Most matches are two out of three falls (
dos de tres caídas), which had been abandoned for title bouts in North America and Japan in the 1970s.
History of lucha libre in Mexico
In the early 1900s, professional wrestling was mostly a regional phenomenon in Mexico until
Salvador LutterothSalvador Lutteroth was a Mexican professional wrestling promoter of the mid-twentieth century. Lutteroth's promotion, Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre , was the dominant Mexican promotion since its founding in 1933, until Lutteroth left the company in the 1970s...
founded the
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
(
Mexican Wrestling Enterprise) in 1933, giving the sport a national foothold for the first time.
The promotion company flourished and quickly became the premier spot for wrestlers. As television surfaced as a viable entertainment medium during the 1950s, Lutteroth was then able to broadcast his wrestling across the nation, subsequently yielding a popularity explosion for the sport. Moreover, it was the emergence of television that allowed Lutteroth to promote lucha libre’s first breakout superstar into a national pop-culture phenomenon.
In 1942, lucha libre would be forever changed when a silver-masked wrestler, known simply as El Santo (
The Saint), first stepped into the ring. He made his debut in
Mexico CityMexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is the economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country, and the most populous city, with about 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008...
by winning an 8-man
battle royalIn professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
. The public became enamored by the mystique and secrecy of Santo's personality and he quickly became the most popular luchador in Mexico. His wrestling career spanned nearly five decades, during which he became a folk hero and a symbol of justice for the common man through his appearances in comic books and
moviesThe sport of Lucha Libre became so popular in Mexico, that it spawned a genre of Luchador films starring some of the most popular masked luchadores in the sport. These masked superheroes engaged in battles against a range of characters from spies, to vampires and martians...
, while the sport of Lucha Libre received an unparalleled degree of mainstream attention.
Other legendary luchadores who helped popularize the sport include;
Gory GuerreroSalvador Guerrero Quesada , better known as Gory Guerrero, was one of the premier Hispanic professional wrestlers in the early days of Lucha Libre when most wrestlers were imported from outside of Mexico.-Biography:Gory was born in Ray, Arizona but his family moved shortly thereafter to California...
who is credited with developing moves and holds which are now commonplace in professional wrestling;
Blue DemonAlejandro Muñoz Moreno , better known as Blue Demon , was a Mexican luchador Enmascarado who was widely considered to be one of the greatest Mexican wrestlers of his time...
, a contemporary of Santo and possibly his greatest rival; and
Mil MáscarasAaron Rodríguez Arellano , best known as Mil Máscaras , is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler and actor, who has starred in several films with fellow luchadores.-Professional wrestling career:Mil Máscaras made his professional wrestling debut in April 1965 in Guadalajara...
(
Man of A Thousand Masks) who is credited with introducing the high flying moves of lucha libre to audiences around the world. He achieved international fame as one of the first high-flyers, something he was not considered in Mexico where he fell under the mat-power category.
Lucha libre style of wrestling
Luchadores are traditionally more agile and perform more
aerial maneuversAerial techniques are maneuvers, using the ring and its posts and ropes as aids, used in professional wrestling to show off the speed and agility of a wrestler. These moves are mainly done by smaller, quicker wrestlers who are unable to do most of the power moves. There is a wide variety of aerial...
than professional wrestlers in the U.S. who, more often, rely on power moves and strikes to subdue their opponents. The difference in styles is due to the independent evolution of the sport in Mexico beginning in the 1930s and the fact that luchadores in the
cruiserweightIn professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing below 220 lb , sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles...
division (
peso semicompleto) are often the most popular wrestlers in Mexican lucha libre. Luchadores execute high flying moves characteristic of lucha libre by utilizing the
wrestling ringA wrestling ring is the ring stage in which professional wrestlers wrestle.-Configuration and construction:The configuration and construction of the "traditional" ring is very similar to that of a boxing ring, though the wrestling version has three ring ropes...
's ropes to catapult themselves towards their opponents, using intricate combinations in rapid-fire succession, and applying complex submission holds. Lucha libre has several different weight classes, many catered to smaller agile fighters, who often make their debuts in their mid-teens. This system enables dynamic high-flying luchadores such as Rey Mysterio, Jr.,
Juventud GuerreraEduardo Aníbal González Hernández , better known as Juventud Guerrera, is a Mexican professional wrestler who is best known for his work in many wrestling promotions worldwide, including all the major American wrestling promotions, such as World Wrestling Entertainment, World Championship...
,
Super CrazyFrancisco Pantoja Islas is a Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador, best known by his ring name Super Crazy. Pantoja is most known for his three year run in World Wrestling Entertainment where he worked for all three of the WWE's brands...
and
MísticoMístico is a Mexican Luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler currently working for the lucha libre promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . Since 2006 Místico has been the main tecnico in CMLL and the biggest box office draw in all of Mexico...
, to develop years of experience by their mid-twenties. A number of prominent
JapaneseThe are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries are referred to as...
wrestlers also started their careers training in Mexican lucha libre before becoming stars in
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. These include
Gran Hamada, better known by his ring name , is Japanese professional wrestler, the first to adopt the high-flying Mexican lucha libre style. He has wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling, the Universal Wrestling Federation, Michinoku Pro, and All Japan Pro Wrestling, and was the founder of Universal Lucha Libre...
,
Satoru Sayamais a Japanese professional wrestler, best known as the original Tiger Mask. He's wrestled under his real name as well as the names Sammy Lee, and masked Super Tiger, Tiger King, Tiger Mask and The Mask of Tiger...
,
Jushin Liger, better known as and later, is a Japanese professional wrestler who works primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Early career:Yamada was an amateur wrestler while studying in high school. He applied to New Japan Pro Wrestling to become a professional wrestler in the early 1980s. He was not...
, and Último Dragón. With so many weight classes, Mexico has the largest number of professional wrestlers in the world.
Lucha libre is also known for its
tag teamIn professional wrestling, a tag team consists of two wrestlers who are working together as a team . Often, they are close partners and backstage friends who team with each other almost exclusively, while other times they are singles competitors who are booked together for just one match...
wrestling matches. The teams are often made up of three members, instead of two as is common in the U.S. These three man teams participate in what are called
trios matches, for tag team championship belts. Of these three members, one member is designated the captain. A successful fall in a trios match can be achieved by either pinning the captain of the opposing team or by pinning both of the other members. A referee can also stop the match because of "excess punishment". He can then award the match to the aggressors. Falls often occur simultaneously, which adds to the extremely stylized nature of the action. In addition, a wrestler can opt to roll out of the ring in lieu of tagging a partner or simply be knocked out of the ring, at which point one of his partners may enter. As a result, the tag team formula that U.S. tag matches tend to follow doesn't apply to lucha libre because the race to tag isn't a priority. There are also two-man tag matches (
parejas) as well as "four on four" matches (
atomicos).
Masks
MasksA Wrestling mask is a fabric based mask that some professional wrestlers wear as part of their in ring persona or gimmick. Professional wrestlers have been using masks as far back as 1915 and they are still widely used today, especially in Lucha Libre in Mexico.-History:in 1915 A North American...
(
mascaras) have been used dating back to the beginnings of lucha libre in the early part of the 20th century and have a historical significance to Mexico in general dating to the days of the
AztecThe Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the Late post-Classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Often the term...
s. Early masks were very simple with basic colors to distinguish the wrestler. In modern lucha libre, masks are colorfully designed to evoke the images of
animalAnimals are a major group of mostly multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously...
s,
godsA deity is a postulated preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
, ancient
heroA hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
es, and other archetypes, whose identity the luchador takes on during a performance. Virtually all wrestlers in Mexico will start their careers wearing masks, but over the span of their careers a large number of them will be unmasked. Sometimes, a wrestler slated for retirement will be unmasked in his final bout or at the beginning of a final tour, signifying loss of identity as that character. Sometimes, losing the mask signifies the end of a gimmick with the wrestler moving on to a new gimmick and mask. The mask is considered "sacred" to a degree, so much so that fully removing an opponent's mask during a match is grounds for disqualification.
During their careers, masked luchadores will often be seen in public wearing their masks and keeping up the
kayfabeIn professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real." That is, the portrayal of professional wrestling as being genuine or not worked...
of Lucha Libre while other masked wrestlers will interact with the public and press normally. However, they will still go to great lengths to conceal their true identities; in effect, the mask is synonymous with the luchador.
El SantoRodolfo Guzmán Huerta , more widely known as El Santo , was a Mexican Luchador enmascarado , film actor, and folk icon....
continued wearing his mask after retirement, revealed his face briefly only in old age, and was buried wearing his silver mask.
More recently, the masks that
luchadores wear have become iconic symbols of Mexican culture. Contemporary artists like Francisco Delgado and Xavier Garza incorporate wrestler masks in their paintings.
Although masks are a feature of lucha libre, it is a misconception that every Mexican wrestler uses one. There have been several non-masked wrestlers who have been successful, particularly Tarzan Lopez, Gory Guerrero and
Perro AguayoPedro Aguayo better known as "Perro Aguayo" and El Can de Nochistlan , was a famous Mexican wrestler in the 1970s and 1980s. His son also wrestles as Perro Aguayo, Jr. or El Hijo Del Perro Aguayo. He is one of the biggest box office attractions in lucha libre history and was the last major rival...
. Formerly masked wrestlers who lost their masks, such as Satanico,
Cien CarasCarmelo Reyes González is a Mexican professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Cien Caras...
and others, have had continued success despite the mask losses.
Luchas de apuestas
With the importance placed on masks in lucha libre, losing the mask to an opponent is seen as the ultimate insult and can at times seriously hurt the career of the unmasking wrestler. Putting one's mask on the line against a hated opponent is a tradition in lucha libre as a means to settle a heated
feudA professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
between two or more wrestlers. In these battles, called
luchas de apuestas ("matches with wagers"), the wrestlers "wager" either their mask or their hair.
"In a lucha de apuesta (betting match), wrestlers make a public bet on the outcome of the match. The most common forms are the mask-against-mask, hair-against-hair, or mask-against-hair matches. A wrestler who loses his or her mask has to remove the mask after the match. A wrestler who loses his or her hair has his or her hair shaved immediately afterward."
The first luchas de apuestas match was presented on July 14, 1940 at Arena México. The defending champion Murciélago (Velásquez) was so much lighter than his challenger Octavio Gaona that he requested a further condition before he would sign the contract: Octavio Gaona would have to put his hair on the line. Octavio Gaona won the match and Murciélago unmasked, giving birth to a tradition in lucha libre.
Variants
- Máscara contra máscara ("mask versus mask"): two masked luchadores bet their masks, the loser is unmasked by the winner, and his real name is often revealed as well.
- Máscara contra cabellera ("mask versus hair"): a masked wrestler and an unmasked one compete, often after the unmasked one has lost his mask to the masked one in a prior bout. If the masked luchador wins, the unmasked one shaves his head as a sign of humiliation. If the unmasked luchador is the winner, he keeps his hair and the loser is unmasked.
- Cabellera contra cabellera ("hair versus hair"): the loser of the match has his head shaved bald. This can occur both between unmasked wrestlers and between masked wrestlers who have to remove their mask enough to be shaved after the match.
- Máscara o Cabellera contra campeonato ("mask or hair versus title"):
- Máscara o Cabellera contra retiro ("mask or hair versus career"):
Weight classes
Since Lucha Libre has its roots more in Latin American professional wrestling than North American professional wrestling it retains some of the basics of the Latin American version such as more weight classes than professional wrestling in North America. Lucha Libre has a detailed weight class system patterned after
boxingBoxing is a combat sport where two participants, generally of similar weight, fight each other with their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee and is typically engaged in during a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds. There are three ways to win...
. Each weight class has an official upper limit but various examples of wrestlers who are technically too heavy hold a title being champions are found. The following weight classes exist in Lucha Libre, as defined by the "Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F." (the Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission), the main regulatory body in Mexico:
| Name (English) |
Name (Spanish) |
Weight Limit |
Titles in division |
| Flyweight |
Mosca |
| None |
| Bantamweight |
Gallo |
| None |
| Featherweight |
Pluma |
| Mexican National, UWA The UWA World Featherweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican wrestling promotion Universal Wrestling Association from 1983 until the promotion closed in 1995...
|
| Lightweight |
Ligero |
| Mexican National, UWA The UWA World Lightweight Championship is an inactive professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican wrestling promotion Universal Wrestling Association from 1975 until some time around 2000 when Kato Kung Lee, Jr. stopped defending it...
, WWA, IWRGThe IWRG Intercontinental Lightweight Championship is a singles professional wrestling championship promoted by International Wrestling Revolution Group since May of 2008. The official definition of the Lightweight class in Mexico is between and , but are not always strictly enforced...
|
| Super Lightweight |
Super Ligero |
| CMLLThe CMLL World Super Lightweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican Lucha Libre wrestling-based promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
|
| Welterweight |
Welter |
| Mexican National The Mexican National Welterweight Championship is a Mexican professional wrestling championship created and sanctioned by "Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F."...
, NWAThe NWA World Welterweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship governed by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The title has also been used by New Japan Pro Wrestling, and was part of its J-Crown Championship...
, CMLLThe CMLL World Welterweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship in the Mexican wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The official definition of a Welterweight in Mexico is a person between and but is not strictly adhered to these days...
, UWAThe UWA World Welterweight Championship is a championship in professional wrestling that is primarily contested for in various Lucha Libre promotions in Mexico. In 1993, the championship was recognized by the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Michinoku Pro, following Super Delfin's victory...
, WWA, IWRGThe IWRG Intercontinental Welterweight Championship is an inactive professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican wrestling promotion International Wrestling Revolution Group since 1998...
|
| Super Welterweight |
Super welter |
| IWRG The IWRG Intercontinental Super Welterweight Championship is an inactive professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion International Wrestling Revolution Group...
|
| Middleweight |
Medio |
| Mexican NationalThe Mexican National Middleweight Championship is a national Mexican professional wrestling championship controlled by a "National title" controlled by the "Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F." , which regulates all matches where the title is defended...
, NWAThe NWA World Middleweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won legitimately: it is instead won via a scripted ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a storyline...
, CMLLThe CMLL World Middleweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
, UWAThe UWA World Middleweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship originally created and sanctioend by the Mexican lucha libre promotion Universal Wrestling Association from 1976 until the UWA closed in 1995...
, WWA, IWRGThe IWRG Intercontinental Middleweight Championship is an inactive professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican wrestling promotion International Wrestling Revolution Group...
|
| Super Middleweight / Junior Light Heavyweight |
Super medio / Semicompleto Junior |
| UWA The UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship that was originally promoted by the Mexican lucha libre Professional wrestling) promotion Universal Wrestling Association...
, WWA |
| Light Heavyweight |
Semi completo |
| Mexican NationalThe Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship is a national Mexican singles professional wrestling championship controlled by the "Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F." , which regulates all matches where the title is defended...
, NWAThe NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship currently promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . It began as an official National Wrestling Alliance title and title was given to the NWA's Mexican affiliate, Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre to control...
, CMLLThe CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre since 1991. Being a professional wrestling championship it is not won legitimately; it is instead won via a scripted ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because...
, UWAThe UWA World Light Heavyweight Championship was a singles professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican Lucha Libre wrestling based promotion Universal Wrestling Association from 1975 until the UWA closed in 1995 and since then been defended on the Mexican independent circuit...
, WWA, WWF |
| Junior Heavyweight / Cruiserweight |
Completo junior / Crucero |
| UWA The UWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a now inactive title that was originall promoted by the Mexican lucha libre Professional wrestling) promotion. After the UWA closed in 1995 the title was defended on the Mexican and Puerto Rican independent circuit. The last known champion was Andy...
, AAA |
| Heavyweight |
Completo |
| Mexican NationalThe Mexican National Heavyweight Championship is a national Mexican professional wrestling championship created and sanctioned by "Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F."...
, CMLLThe CMLL World Heavyweight Championship is a major singles professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and has been in existence since 1991...
, UWAThe UWA World Heavyweight Championship is a singles professional wrestling championship originally promoted by Universal Wrestling Association until it closed in 1995 and since then been defended on the Mexican independent circuit...
, WWA, IWRGThe IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship is a currently inactive singles Championship in the Mexican lucha libre promotion International Wrestling Revolution Group and was introduced in 1997...
, AAAThe AAA World Heavyweight Championship is the highest ranked professional wrestling championship in the Mexican wrestling promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración...
|
Other characteristics
Luchadores are traditionally divided into two categories,
rudos ("bad guys", or "
heelsIn professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling storylines. They are typically opposed by a babyface or more simply, face . Some tweeners exhibit heel mannerisms...
", literally "rude ones"), who bend or break the rules, and
técnicos (the "good guys", or "
facesIn professional wrestling, a face or babyface is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains. Not everything a face wrestler does must be heroic: faces need only to be cheered by the audience to be effective characters...
", literally "technicians"), who play by the rules and their moves are much more complex and spectacular. "Técnicos" tend to have very formal combat styles, close to
Greco-Roman wrestlingGreco-Roman wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practiced worldwide and is contested at the Olympic games. This style of wrestling forbids attacks below the waist, which results in an emphasis on more dramatic throws, since a wrestler cannot use trips to take an opponent to the ground...
and
martial artsMartial arts or fighting arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they may be studied for various reasons, martial arts share a single objective: to physically defeat other persons and to defend oneself or others from physical threat...
techniques, whereas "rudos" tend to be brawlers. Técnicos playing the "good guy" role, and rudos playing the "bad guy" role is very characteristic of Mexican lucha libre, which differs from U.S. professional wrestling, where many technical wrestlers play the role of heels, and many brawlers play as "faces" (e.g.,
Stone Cold Steve AustinSteve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
). Although rudos often resort to using under-handed tactics, they are still expected to live up to a luchador code of honor. For instance, a luchador who has lost a wager match would prefer to endure the humiliation of being unmasked or having his head shaved rather than live with the shame that would come from not honoring his bet. Rudos have also been known to make the transition into técnicos after a career defining moment, as was the case with
Blue DemonAlejandro Muñoz Moreno , better known as Blue Demon , was a Mexican luchador Enmascarado who was widely considered to be one of the greatest Mexican wrestlers of his time...
, who decided to become a técnico after his wrestling partner,
Black ShadowAlejandro Cruz Ortiz was a Mexican Luchador , known worldwide as Black Shadow. Cruz's mask vs. mask match against El Santo in 1953 is generally considered one of the most important matches in the history of Lucha Libre...
, was unmasked by the legendary
SantoRodolfo Guzmán Huerta , more widely known as El Santo , was a Mexican Luchador enmascarado , film actor, and folk icon....
. Tag teams are sometimes comprised of both rudos and técnicos in what are called
parejas increibles (incredible pairings).
Parejas increibles highlight the conflict between a luchador's desire to win and his contempt for his partner.
Luchadores, like their foreign counterparts, seek to obtain a
campeonato ("championship") through winning key wrestling matches. Since many feuds and shows are built around
luchas de apuestas ("matches with wagers"), title matches play a less prominent role in Mexico than in the U.S. Titles can be defended as few as one time per year and wrestlers usually only wear their belts during big events and title defenses.
Lucha libre uses a more specific weight class system to classify titles. Popular weight classes include; heavyweight, light-heavyweight, welterweight and middleweight. Lightweight and super-lightweight titles are also used. The
"Cruiserweight"In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing below 220 lb , sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles...
division is often associated with the lucha libre style of wrestling, even though in Mexico, the term light-heavyweight (
peso semicompleto) is used due to a different weight class system. In recent years, weight classes have been mostly nominal and there are occasions when a wrestler will have titles in two different weight classes. However, title matches are still major events and many shows are built around them.
The two most popular lucha libre promotions are
Consejo Mundial de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
(CMLL), which was founded in 1933, and
Asistencia Asesoría y AdministraciónAsistencia Asesoría y Administración is a lucha libre professional-wrestling promotion based in Mexico...
(AAA).
Lucha libre is currently experiencing a boom in popularity due to the emergence of a new generation of stars, most notably, a masked wrestler named
MísticoMístico is a Mexican Luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler currently working for the lucha libre promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . Since 2006 Místico has been the main tecnico in CMLL and the biggest box office draw in all of Mexico...
, whose high-flying style and technique is attracting record crowds in Mexico.
Female professional wrestlers
Female wrestlers or
luchadoras also compete in Mexican lucha libre. The
CMLL World Women's ChampionshipThe CMLL World Women's Championship is the top female professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
is the top title for CMLL's women's division; while the
AAA Reina de Reinas ChampionshipThe AAA Queen of Queens is a singles professional wrestling females championship promoted by Asistencia Asesoría y Administración . The Championship has been in existence since 1999 and is the only females only championship currently in AAA...
is a championship defended in an annual tournament by female wrestlers in
AAAAsistencia Asesoría y Administración is a lucha libre professional-wrestling promotion based in Mexico...
. AAA also recognizes a
World Mixed Tag Team ChampionshipThe AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship is a tag team title contested for in the Mexican lucha libre promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración . The Championship is exclusively for teams composed of one male wrestler and one female wrestler...
, contested by tag teams composed of a
luchador and
luchadora respectively. In 2000, the all female promotion company Lucha Libre Feminil (LLF) was founded.
Mini-Estrellas
Lucha Libre has a division called the "Mini-Estrella" or "Minis" division, which unlike North American midget professional wrestling is not just for
dwarvesA dwarf is a creature from Germanic mythologies, fairy tales, fantasy fiction, and role-playing games. It usually has magical talents, often involving metallurgy....
but also for Luchadors that are short, originally the limit for the Mini division was 5 feet but in recent years wrestlers such as
Pequeño OlímpicoPequeño Olímpico is a Mexican luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler. Pequeño Olímpico is a part of Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre's Mini-Estrella, or "Mini", division and holds the record for the longest CMLL World Mini-Estrella Championship reign, 1,442 days...
have worked the Minis division despite being tall. The Minis division was first popularized in the 1970s with wrestlers like Pequeño Luke and Arturito (a wrestler with an
R2-D2R2-D2 , is a fictional droid in the Star Wars universe, an astromech droid...
gimmick) became noticed for their high flying abilities. In the late 1980s/early 1990s CMLL created the first actual "Minis" division, the brainchild of then-CMLL booker
Antonio PeñaAntonio Peña was the founder of the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración in 1992, which today is the second largest wrestling promotion in Mexico...
. CMLL created the
CMLL World Mini-Estrella ChampionshipThe CMLL World Mini-Estrella Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican Lucha libre wrestling-based promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The championship is exclusively competed for in the Mini-Estrellas, or Minis, division...
in 1992, making it the oldest Minis championship still in existence today. Minis are often patterend after "regular sized" wrestlers and are sometimes called "mascotas" if they team with the regular sized version.
Luchadores in the U.S.
In 1994, AAA promoted the
When Worlds Collide pay-per-viewPay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast of that event to their homes. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
in conjunction with the U.S. promotion company
World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and his...
(WCW).
When Worlds Collide introduced U.S. audiences to many of the top luchadores in Mexico at the time.
In recent years, several luchadores have found success in the United States. Notable luchadores who achieved success in the U.S. are
Eddie GuerreroEduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family...
, Rey Mysterio,
JuventudEduardo Aníbal González Hernández , better known as Juventud Guerrera, is a Mexican professional wrestler who is best known for his work in many wrestling promotions worldwide, including all the major American wrestling promotions, such as World Wrestling Entertainment, World Championship...
,
La ParkaAdolfo Tapia Ibarra , better known as La Parka, is a Mexican professional wrestler most famous to American fans for his days in World Championship Wrestling but has also had an extensive career working for Mexican wrestling promotions...
,
Super CrazyFrancisco Pantoja Islas is a Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador, best known by his ring name Super Crazy. Pantoja is most known for his three year run in World Wrestling Entertainment where he worked for all three of the WWE's brands...
and Psicosis.
Lucha libre shows are broadcast weekly in the U.S. on the Galavisión and
Fox Sports en EspañolFox Sports en Español is a cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day in Spanish. FSE is a joint venture between Fox Sports International and Fox Pan American Sports LLC and is managed by FSI featuring soccer tournaments from across Latin America...
Spanish languageSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
cable networks.
Additional information
In Peru the term "cachascán" (from "catch as can") is used. Wrestlers are called cachascanistas. In
ArgentinaArgentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
, in addition to lucha libre, professional wrestling is also referred to as "catch", or
catch as catch canCatch wrestling is a style of Folk wrestling made popular in the late 19th century by the wrestlers of traveling carnivals who incorporated submission holds, or "hooks", into their wrestling to increase their effectiveness against their opponents...
. In
BoliviaBolivia, officially Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina to the south, and Chile and Peru to the west....
n Lucha Libre,
wrestling CholitasThe Fighting Cholitas are a group of female lucha libre wrestlers who perform in El Alto, Bolivia. The Cholitas were the subject of an award-winning 2006 short-subject documentary, The Fighting Cholitas....
— female wrestlers dressed up as indigenous
AymaraThe Aymara or Aimara are a native ethnic group in the Andes and Altiplano regions of South America; about 2 million live in Bolivia, Peru and Chile...
— are popular.
Mexico
- Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
(CMLL)
- Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración is a lucha libre professional-wrestling promotion based in Mexico...
(AAA)
- International Wrestling Revolution Group
International Wrestling Revolution Group is a Lucha Libre independent promotion based in Mexico. Founded in 1996 by Adolfo Moreno and since Moreno's death has been controlled by his three sons...
(IWRG)
- Universal Wrestling Association
The Universal Wrestling Association was a Mexican Lucha Libre promotion based in Naucalpan from 1975 until 1995. The UWA name stems from the name of the fictional sactioning body for the promotion's titles and is used more in a historical context outside of Mexico. During its existence, and...
(defunct)
- World Wrestling Association
The World Wrestling Association is a lucha libre promotion based in the Tijuana-area of Mexico. It was founded in 1986 by Benjamin Mora, Jr....
(Promociones Mora)
- Universal Wrestling Entertainment (UWE)
- Alianza Universal de Lucha Libre (AULL)
- Xtreme Latin American Wrestling (XLAW)
- PROLLM
- Lucha Libre Feminil (LLF)
Japan
- Michinoku Pro Wrestling
Michinoku Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded by The Great Sasuke in 1993. Michinoku Pro was the first independent wrestling promotion in Japan to not base its operations in Tokyo, but rather in Morioka, Iwate...
- Osaka Pro Wrestling
Osaka Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 1998 by Super Delfin.-Current title holders:-External links:**...
- Pro Wrestling KAGEKI
- Toryumon
Toryumon is the name of Último Dragón's professional wrestling school and the associated professional wrestling promotion. The school had dojos both in Mexico and Japan...
/ Dragon GateDragon Gate is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion formerly known as Toryumon Japan. Most of Dragon Gate's wrestlers are graduates from Último Dragón's Toryumon Gym, and thus the promotion is based on a Junior Heavyweight style with varying emphasis on high flying maneuvers, flashy...
- Universal Lucha Libre
Universal Lucha Libre was a professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1990 to 1995...
(defunct)
United States
- Chikara Pro
- Incredibly Strange Wrestling
Incredibly Strange Wrestling was a San Francisco-based professional wrestling promotion, heavily influenced by masked Mexican Wrestling or Lucha Libre...
- Lucha Va Voom
- Revolucha
- Pro Wrestling Revolution
Puerto Rico
- World Wrestling Council
The World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association...
(WWC)
- International Wrestling Association
The International Wrestling Association is a wrestling promotion in Puerto Rico, started in Japan in 1994 by promoter Victor Quiñones. The hispanic division was created in 1999. The company was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance until 2001, but again became a member in 2007...
(IWA)
- Capitol Sports Promotions (became WWC)
Lucha Libre in popular culture
Lucha libre has crossed over into popular culture, especially in Mexico where it is the second most popular sport after
FootballFootball is the name of several similar team sports, all of which involve kicking a ball with the foot in an attempt to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer"...
(soccer). Outside of Mexico Lucha Libre has also crossed over into popular culture, especially in movies and television.
Movies and television
The motion picture
Nacho LibreNacho Libre is a 2006 comedy film directed by Jared Hess. It is a production of Nickelodeon Movies.The script was written by Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess, and Mike White. It was loosely based on the story of Fray Tormenta , aka Rev. Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez, a real-life Mexican Catholic priest who had...
, starring
Jack BlackThomas Jacob "Jack" Black is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He makes up one half of the comedy and heavy metal music duo Tenacious D. The group has two albums and a full-length film. His acting career is extensive, starring primarily as bumbling, cocky, but internally self-conscious...
as a priest-turned-luchador was inspired by the story of real life Priest turned Luchador Father Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez who wrestled as
Fray TormentaFray Tormenta is a Mexican priest who supported an orphanage for 23 years as a lucha libre wrestler. While performing, he wore a red and yellow mask. He is retired from wrestling, but still wears his mask even in his duties as a priest...
to make money for his church. The American horror movie
Wrestlemaniac is centered around the story of an insane luchador with abnormal strength; the titular villain is played by luchador
Rey Misterio, Sr.Miguel Ángel López Díaz , better known by his ring name Rey Misterio, Sr., is a Mexican professional wrestler , trainer and actor . His "luchador" name directly translates to "King Mystery" in English...
.
Rob ZombieRobert Bartleh Cummings , better known by his stage name, Rob Zombie, is a Grammy-nominated American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the metal band White Zombie....
's upcoming animated film
The Haunted World of El SuperbeastoThe Haunted World of El Superbeasto is an animated comedy film that also combines elements of a horror and thriller film. It is based upon the comic book series created by Rob Zombie that follows the character of El Superbeasto and his sidekick sister, Suzi-X, voiced by Sheri Moon.-Plot:The film...
stars a Mexican luchador named El Superbeasto.
Television has also seen shows inspired by Lucha Libre, especially animated series such as
¡Mucha Lucha!¡Mucha Lucha! is an animated television series. It premiered on Kids' WB on August 17, 2002. It was created by Eddie Mort and Lili Chin. It is one of the first animated television series created with Adobe Flash, a program often used for Internet cartoons...
, Cartoon Network also produced an animated mini-series based on luchador El Santo. The world of Lucha Libre has also been used as inspirations for episodes of television series, most notably the 200th episode of CSI, "
Mascara"Mascara" is the 18th episode of season 9 of the American television crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. It first aired on April 2, 2009, and is the 200th episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Former WWE wrestler Aaron Aguilera guest stars as Fantasma...
" centered on the investigation of visiting luchadores with connections to a murder. The WB television series
AngelAngel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
episode entitled "The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco" told the story of a family of luchadores called "Los Hermanos Numeros" who also fought evil. Angel must help the remaining brother, Numero Cinco, defeat the Aztec warrior-demon that killed his four brothers. Lucha Libre has also inspired television shows outside of the United States; In the British TV show
Justin Lee CollinsJustin Lee Collins, often known as JLC, is a British comedian, television and radio presenter from Bristol. His West Country accent, enthusiasm for pop culture and "caveman" image are amongst his trademarks, a trait he claims was inspired by Chewbacca from Star Wars...
: The Wrestler, Colins competes as the
rudo El Glorioso, or The Glorious One, against the
exotico Cassandro in
The RoundhouseThe Roundhouse is a former engine shed now used as an arts and concert venue in Chalk Farm, London. Built in 1846, it ceased to be used as an engine shed by 1867, and underwent various uses before being abandoned just before the Second World War...
, London, ultimately losing and being de-masked.
Games and print media
Many fighting video games have featured characters based on luchadors, featuring both the masked aspects and the different wrestling style of Lucha Libre compared to traditional professional wrestling. In
Tekken the characters
KingKing is a video game character in the fighting game series Tekken. There are actually two Kings in the series, both of whom wore a jaguar mask in matches.-Tekken:King is a famous luchador from Mexico...
and Armor King both wear the "Jaguar Mask". In other fighting games characters are luchadors fighting in the tournaments for a living such as: El Fuerte from
Street Fighter IVStreet Fighter IV is a fighting game produced by Capcom. It is the first numbered Street Fighter game released by Capcom for the arcades since . The coin-operated arcade game was released in Japan on July 18, 2008 with North American arcades importing the machines by August...
, Ramon, Tizoc, and Raiden from
The King of Fighters , Lisa from
Dead or Alive and El Blaze from
Virtua Fighteris a 1993 fighting game developed for the Sega Model 1 arcade platform by AM2, a development group within Sega, headed by Yu Suzuki. It is the first game in the Virtua Fighter series, and the first arcade fighting game to feature fully 3D polygon graphics. It has been ported to several home video...
. A Japanese wrestler,
Takuya SugiTakuya Sugi is a Japanese professional wrestler from Shizuoka. He currently wrestles as a freelancer in the Japanese independent circuit; he uses many aliases, most commonly Yoshitsune and El Blazer...
has actually wrestled as "El Blaze" in Japan.
In other games Luchadors are not part of the game but the cultural inspiration is still seen, for instance in the video game
No More HeroesNo More Heroes is the second album by The Stranglers, produced by Martin Rushent, and released in 1977 . It featured a photo of a wreath placed on a coffin with the tails of several rats ....
for the Nintendo Wii, the main character, Travis Touchdown occasionally finds luchador masks through-out the game, which re-teach him wrestling moves that you can use from then on. The game also features trading cards that feature the masks of past, legendary luchadors. Suda 51, game developer and head of Grasshopper Studios is known for his fascination of Lucha Libre and often includes them in his game, such as the character MASK de Smith in
Killer 7 and was responsible for the collectible Lucha Libre masks in
No More HeroesNo More Heroes is the second album by The Stranglers, produced by Martin Rushent, and released in 1977 . It featured a photo of a wreath placed on a coffin with the tails of several rats ....
.
While Luchador comics are a well known phenomenon in Mexico, featuring wrestlers from El Santo to
CibernéticoOctavio López Arreola is a Mexican professional wrestler who is best known in Lucha libre as Cibernético. He is best known for his time spent in the Asistencia Asesoría y Administración promotion in Mexico...
, comics outside of Mexico also draw on the images and culture of Lucha Libre. The comic
SonambuloSonámbulo is a fictional character from the American independent comic book series of the same name created by Rafael Navarro....
revolves around a crime fighting luchador who possesses supernatural powers.
Doctor Eggman, the main antagonist in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, wrestles as "El Gran Gordo" (Spanish for, roughly, "The Big Fat One") in the
Sonic X comicSonic X was an ongoing comic book series published by Archie Comics, based on the English dub of the Japanese anime of the same name. Like Archie's other title, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic X features SEGA's mascot video game character Sonic. It began in September 2005 and was originally meant to be a...
series. The
martial artsMartial arts or fighting arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they may be studied for various reasons, martial arts share a single objective: to physically defeat other persons and to defend oneself or others from physical threat...
mangaManga consist of comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century...
Tenjho Tengeis an ongoing Japanese manga authored by Ito "Oh Great" Ōgure. The story primarily focuses on the members of the Juken Club and their opposition, the Executive Council, which is the ruling student body of a high school that educates its students in the art of combat...
includes a character named
Kōji Sagarais a character in the manga and anime series Tenjho Tenge. He is a member of the Executive Council, and the founder of the Lucha libre pro-wrestling club.-Character outline:...
who fights in the lucha libre style. The
animeis animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
Air Masteris a seinen manga created by Yokusaru Shibata and serialized in Hakusensha's Young Animal. The story focuses on Maki Aikawa, an ex-gymnast turned streetfighter. A 27-episode anime adaptation was produced by Toei Animation...
features a luchador style character called Lucha Master.
Lucha Libre inspirations
NikeNike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
has designed a line of lucha libre inspired athletic shoes.
Coca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines internationally. The Coca-Cola Company claims that the beverage is sold in more than 200 countries...
developed a Blue Demon
Full ThrottleFull Throttle is an energy drink brand produced by the The Coca-Cola Company. It debuted in late 2004 in North America. The beverage has a citrus flavor and comes in a 16 ounce can...
energy drink named after the luchador
Blue Demon, Jr.Blue Demon, Jr. is a Mexican professional wrestler. He is the allegedly adopted son of the legendary original Blue Demon and is the first Mexican and first masked luchador to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, which he currently holds. Blue Demon, Jr.'s real name is unknown.-Origins and...
who is also the spokesperson for the drink in Mexico. Coca-Cola also introduced "Gladiator" in Mexico, an energy drink that sponsored CMLL events and who featured CMLL wrestlers such as
MísticoMístico is a Mexican Luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler currently working for the lucha libre promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . Since 2006 Místico has been the main tecnico in CMLL and the biggest box office draw in all of Mexico...
and
Último GuerreroÚltimo Guerrero is a Mexican currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
.
The
NashvilleNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is the second most populous city in the state after Memphis. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state...
-based
AngloThe term Anglo is used as a prefix to indicate a relation to the Angles, England or the English people, as in the terms Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-American, Anglo-Celtic, Anglo-African and Anglo-Indian. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of British Isles descent in The Americas,...
band
Los StraitjacketsLos Straitjackets is an American instrumental rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1988. Originally comprising guitarists Danny Amis and Eddie Angel and drummer L. J. "Jimmy" Lester under the name The Straitjackets, the band split up soon after forming and reunited as Los Straitjackets...
adopted personalized luchador masks as part of their stage show in the mid-1990s, and have since acquired a large Mexican following.
External links