10th July 2015
As part of the Year of Mexico in the UK 2015, for the first time ever and for one day only, the mythical, dangerous, acrobatic and heroic world of Mexico’s masked wrestlers, 16 of Mexico’s finest, led by the legendary Blue Demon Jr, join battle under the Royal Albert Hall’s mighty dome.
This Saturday London is about to be seduced from American style wrestling to the hotter & more ‘picante’ style wrestling of Mexico’s Lucha Libre.
Mexico is famous for its colourful characters and costumes in professional wrestling, known popularly as Lucha Libre. Mexican wrestling dates back to 1863, during the French Intervention in Mexico. Enrique Ugartechea, the first Mexican wrestler, developed the Mexican Lucha Libre from Greco-Roman wrestling. Lucha Libre distinguishes itself through its agile high flying manoeuvres and rope work.
The difference in styles is due to the independent evolution of the sport in Mexico beginning in the 1930s. The lighter, cruiserweight division, ‘peso semicompleto,’ are often the most popular wrestlers in Mexican Lucha Libre.
Lucha Libre combines art, sport and spectacle. The sport’s dazzling masks that luchadores, as the wrestlers are known as, wear originated in the 1940s. The masks and are particularly associated with silver-masked wrestler, as El Santo (The Saint), perhaps most popular Luchador ever, the Mexican public have ever since been enamoured by the mystique and secrecy associated with the masked wrestlers.
The fights are complete theatre. Image a highly athletic and physical comedia del arte, that speaks to the everyman. The masks used, help the performers adopt a character much like in Greek or world Theatre. The personas adopted allow the performers to manifest and act out ‘plays.’
It’s the cathartic flamboyant carnivalesque experience that is main attraction of Mexican Wrestling. At the centre of which is an exhilarating journey to the centre of a life-affirming struggle where ‘rudos,’ the villains who resort to underhand tactics fight ‘tecnicos,’ the more skilled, good, characters, who follow the rules.
The keenest fans wear masks, and more or less all join in the highly vocal approving or booing, much like a super charged Christmas Panto. Universal studios live-action plays must barely scratch the immersive quality of these performances.
Lucha Libre truly enter pop-culture when it was broadcast to the nation in the 1950s creating its first breakout superstars.
Lucha Libre is now so popular in Mexico its stars appear in cartoon strips and movies. Watched by millions on national TV and the biggest arenas in all the major cities are packed every weekend. Their popularity has crossed over the broader into the United States and become mainstream. The art photography and conceptual art of the Mexican Lourdes Groubet and the film Nacho Libre starring Jack Black, the television Series Mucha Lucha and the Internet sensation Strong Bad all draw heavily on the visual culture and energy of Mexican free wrestling.
Prepare to go wild with this Saturday night as enormous personalities come to settle their differences in the Hall’s hallowed ring.
For the first time the UK will witness the full-on fantastical world of Lucha Libre represented in one ring, on one night. Not only the bad boy rudos and good-guy tecnicos, but also four Mini-Estrellas (mini-stars) female Luchadoras, the glamorous and diamond-hard, Sexy Star and Faby Apache.
Lucha Libre is huge, jaw-hanging, riotous fun of a kind that you will never forget. Marvel at high flying acrobatics, and astonishing moves. Featuring the funkiest live music from Tijuana’s Bostich & Fussible (Nortec Collective).
UK Wrestling Legend Kendo Nagasaki will be attending the Royal Albert Hall as the honoured guest on Saturday nights star fighters are Blue Demon Jr., La Parka , Psyco Clown, Villano 4, Hijo Del Fantasma (Son of the Ghost), Pentagon, Fenix, Texano Jr., Blue Demoncito Jr. (Little Blue Demon Jr.), Mini Histeria,Octagoncito, Mini Abismo Negro, Drago, Sexy Star, Faby Apache. The sixteenth big star mystery luchador is to be named on the night.