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Lucha Libre Mexicana Debuts in Tempe
January 28 , 2008 by EditorTrash City Entertainment has contracted with Producciones Komodin to bring the Superstars of Lucha Libre of Mexico to Tempe, Arizona. Although Lucha Libre appeals mostly to Mexican-Americans, the sport has been embraced by Americans and most recently, by the Japanese for its entertainment value. The debut show, starting February 10th 2008 at the SETS in Tempe, is an all ages show, and families with children are welcome. Bar with ID. Advance tickets are available in by visiting Trash City's online box office at www.trashcityentertainment.com or by calling Trash City at 602-953-2728.
In the early 1900s, professional wrestling was mostly a regional phenomenon in Mexico until Salvador Lutteroth founded the Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (Mexican Wrestling Enterprise) in 1933, giving the sport a national foothold for the first time. Luchadores are traditionally more agile and perform more acrobatic moves than professional wrestlers in the US which, more often, rely on power moves and strikes to subdue their opponents.
Masks (mascara) have been used dating back to the beginnings of lucha libre and have a historical significance to Mexico dating back to the days of the Aztecs. The masks are colorfully designed to evoke the images of animals, gods, ancient heroes, and other archetypes, whose identity the luchador takes on during a performance. Virtually all wrestlers in Mexico will start their careers wearing masks, but over the span of their careers a large number of them will be unmasked. The mask is considered "sacred" to a degree, so much so that fully removing an opponents mask during a match is grounds for disqualification. During their careers, masked luchadores will often be seen in public wearing their masks.
With the importance placed on masks in lucha libre, losing the mask to an opponent is seen as the ultimate insult and can at times seriously hurt the career of the unmasking wrestler. Putting one's mask on the line against a hated opponent is a tradition in lucha libre as a means to settle a heated feud between two or more wrestlers. In these battles, called luchas de apuestas ("matches with wagers"), the wrestlers "wager" either their mask or their hair.
The debut event at the SETS will feature Superstars of Mexican wrestling such as El Marques, Fishman, El Chucky, Hijo de Huracán Ramirez, Aquaman and many more.
When: SUNDAY Feb 10 2008 5pm
(Doors open at 4pm, show starts at 5pm)
WHERE: The SETS in Tempe
93 East Southern
Tempe AZ 85282
(SE Corner of Mill and Southern)
COST: $20 Adults Children 2-12 $10.00
Infants up to 2 years old are free.
