LUCHA LIBRE 

by Alejandro Ortiz

    The Lucha Libre,  causes controversy  from the moment the question arises: sport or show?  In reality it is not a sport in the broadest  sense of the word.  Though there is a great deal of training before one enters the ring, to be able to syncronize  the blows,  falls, leaps through the air; to pantomime and do piruettes and acrobatics.  These are the ingredients of pageantry. 
    The rules of this "sport" are made to be broken.  Although "illegal" the fighters are allowed to trick their opponents, hit them with spectators' chairs, gang-up three to one against an opponent and even attack the referee.  The fanfares and bravado are part of the show.  Applauded on oneside and booed on the other, these are the ingredients that keep the audience captivated.
    The matches are without time limit and the winner  is the one  who acheives two falls against his opponent.  That is to say he pins his opponents shoulders to the mat for a count of ten.   There are two types of "fighters": the Rudos  who have no respect for the rules and the Tecnicos who follow them (although they too, forget about a fair-fight when they know their cause is lost).   Another type of contrast that attracts large crowds are when one fighter is masked and the other has long hair.  The loser is either unmasked or shaved bald.  The winner is acclaimed and holds the prize of his opponents mask or hair  for all to see and applaud.
    There are also personalities like Latin Lover who is a National "heart throb".  Another sight to see is Pimpinela, an efeminate  drag queen fighter who swooshes and shimmys, carresses and blows kisses to a manly MACHO  wrestler.  The crowd enjoys the discomfort of the latter.
    The Mexican wrestler is a showman, acrobat, gymnast, stuntman, actor and even clown.  He simulates a fight and provides a catharsis for his people. Under the suspension of disbelief they exude a collective energy  of emotion that magnifies throughout the evening.  This energy is the show.  Show or sport is not even a question when you feel this energy,  which is very real.  That crowd energy is what we invite you to experience. 

   There are there are three arenas in Nuevo Laredo.  Palenque, on the Expomex grounds has its "wrestling exhibitions every Sunday afternoon.  Siglo XXI  at  H.de Nacataz & Lerdo de Tejada and LLL located at the Plaza de Toros both have matches every Monday evening.