José Carmelo is 33 years old and has been working outside the Arena de Mexico selling mascaras for 20 years. He got into this line of work thought his brothers, who used to have another shop outside another lucha venue – el Toreo de Cuatro Caminos. Click on the picture for more photos.
MexicoReporter.com pays a visit to a Lucha Libre school in Mexico city, where the next generation of fighters are learning the art of the Lucha
MexicoReporter.com’s dispatch on the BBC about a Lucha Libre school for boys.
This is Ringo Mendoza, the Lucha Libre fighter and Maestro interviewed by NewCorrespondent.com some weeks ago. The photo is courtesy of Luz Montero.
See here for the interview.
First it was Leono (the Lion), Metalico and Tigre Blanco (the White Tiger) up against Loco Max (Crazy Max), ArkAngel and Doctor X. Then Blue Panther, Heavy Metal and El Sagrado (the Scared) had it out with Hijo de Lizmark (son of Lizmark), Averno and Mephisto. All insults form the crowd involved a combination of the fighters’ mothers and female prostitutes and the array of ostentatious Lycra outfits was jaw-dropping.It’s a regular Tuesday night at the Lucha Libre in downtown Mexico City’s Arena Coliseo, where for the price of an expensive pint of beer in London you can watch the country’s favourite Lucha Trios fight it out, Mexico-style.
Fuerza Guerrera, 53, has been fighting in the Lucha Libre for 32 years
Fuerza Guerrera is a famous Mexican Lucha Libre fighter who we met in the Latino American Gymnasio, Mexico City. He refused to be interviewed with his face showing – many fighters will only be seen in public wearing their masks. So we interviewed him from behind. Forgive my poor Spanish.
Whilst lurking around the parking lot of Arena Mexico waiting for the press pass that we’ve been promised, NewCorrespondent noticed that sitting around chatting to the attendant was Ringo Mendoza, a well known Lucha Libre fighter. Now over 60 years old, he is still getting in the ring, and also teaches at the Lucha Libre school.
We HAD to speak to him, and he was only too happy to talk. Apologies for the poor quality of the photographs – there’s not much light in underground parking lots.
Despite my best intentions, I failed miserably on Friday in getting media access to La Lucha Libre. Not only did they ignore my requests for a pass, but they confiscated all of the recording equipment – dictaphone, mobile phone and camera – that I tried to sneak in. Worry not – I will bring you a multi-media Lucha Libre experience if it is the last thing I do. In the meantime, here is a sense of the experience:
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