Lucha Libre!!

The high-flying and flashy moves have always impressed me when watching pro wrestling in my younger years. I will admit that I often found myself cheering and attempting to imitate Rey Mysterio, Jr. (now referred to as Rey Mysterio since joining the WWE in 2002). In an attempt to understand the foundation of his wrestling tactics, I have recently taken a look into lucha libre, which is the prevalent in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. Many aspects of lucha libre can be seen in US pro wrestling such as tag team matches, mask-wearing, outrageous costumes, and increased acrobatic maneuvers. Even though the time I recently spent in Mexico did not bring me across any of the well-known areas of lucha libre, the colorful masks were still visible in many of the local stores and tourist shopping traps. The masks can be traced all the way to the historic traditions of the Aztecs. Luchadores, the term for participants in lucha libre, tend to be much smaller than the wrestlers that fight in the WWE because fans enjoy seeing the aerial moves and intricate fight sequences that take place in these lightweight divisions. Wrestling is by no means just an American entertainment, as it has worldwide importance as a sport that can define a nation as in the case of Mexico.