Ready to Rumle... La Lucha Libre!!!

When someone asks you, "what are some mexicans traditions that a foreign person most know?"

My usual answer is "Lucha Libre", I have to be honest, Lucha Libre is not like going to a museum, or to the pyramids, it's a very interesting place where the mexican folklore arises.

It's not a fancy place where you can ask for some wine, it's a "plaza" (arena) where you can yell for some "chelas" and "chicharrones". It's a place where you can wear a wrestling mask and support good or evil.

The good ones in Mexico are the "Técnicos" or the technicicians also the scientists, they represent the wrestlers who follow the rules, they are the acrobatic ones. The other side is the "Rudos" or the rude people, they don´t follow rules, they cheat to win, and they are the funniest ones.

Mexico's Lucha Libre, it's a show in which some of our ancient traditions prevails, for instance the wearing of a mask has to do with the aztecs whose warriors wore masks in combat.

That's enough "rollo" (chit-chat), the first thing you notice when you enter the coliseum is that there is an important social mixture, you can find people who own a BMW or people who own a bike. Both of them can have a unique experience, the world of economical injustice evaporates.

Once we entered, the staff gave us some directions, for instance, we couldn't get up of our seats because we may disturb the people behind us.

The people of the organization of the show gave us a "chela" (beer), then the students had a beer in one hand and used the other to point at the wrestler they want to support.

Then all of us began to cheer on a wrestler, we yelled at him "el verde" or the green. In that match the Rudos won. When the show was progressing, the mexicans students were teaching the international students some popular phrases, so they could yell to the wrestlers in the ring.

There was very muscular wrestler who became the favorite for the girls and the most hated for the guys, it was very funny. During the match, a "vendedor" (sales person) sold mexican wrestlers masks. A lot of people bought them, and suddenly the show was in our place too, there was a narrow line that was blurring between the audience and the ring.

At the end of the show came the star of the evening, "Shocker el 1,000% guapo" (the 1,000% handsome), it was the funniest match I've ever seen.

When we were leaving, the students who were still wearing the masks improvised a wrestling match, it was so funny, because some of them were very skinny and also with no athletic abilities for gymnastics.

Finally my conclusion is, if you want to live a Mexican experience, you have to go to the "Lucha Libre"!