Mexico Guide
Mexico City
Wrestling
Though its popularity has waned in recent years, lucha libre, or wrestling, remains one of Mexico's most avidly followed spectator sports. Over a dozen venues in the capital alone host fights several nights a week for a fanatical public. Widely available magazines, comics, photonovels and films recount the real and imagined lives of the rings' heroes and villains, though the once nightly telecasts are now a thing of the past.
Mexican wrestling is generally faster, with more complex moves, and more combatants in the ring at any one time than you would normally see in an American or British bout. This can make the action hard to follow for the uninitiated. More important, however, is the maintenance of stage personas, most of whom, heroes or villains, wear masks. The rudos tend to use brute force or indulge in sneaky, underhanded tactics to foil the opposition, while the técnicos use wit and guile to compensate for lack of brawn. This faux battle, not at all unlike the WWE on-screen antics, requires a massive suspension of disbelief – crucial if you want to join in the fun.
Fights can be seen, particularly on Fridays and Sundays, at the Arena Coliseo, Peru 77 (Metro Allende) and the Arena México, Dr Lucio 197 at Dr Lavista, Colonia Doctores (two blocks south and one east of Metro Balderas, but not a good area to be in at night).