If youβre planning a trip to Mexico City, thereβs one unforgettable experience that you simply canβt miss: Lucha Libre wrestling! Where youβre a fan of high-flying athleticism, vibrant culture, or just want to experience something truly unique, Lucha Libre offers an exhilarating and immersive experience you wonβt find anywhere else. Hereβs why you should make room for a night at the ring during your visitβ¦
My friend and I having a good time at Lucha Libre!
Now as a wrestling fan, I may be a little bit bias, but I went with my friend who knows absolutely nothing about wrestling and she had a great time! You can purchase the tickets at the arena, but I recommend booking a local guide from Viator or Airbnb. Why? Not only are the tickets included, but usually an activity or meal beforehand. The tour I booked included a a lucha mask, food and drink along with a short history lesson on Lucha Libre. Other tours I noticed included front row seating and even a meet & greet with a luchadore!
But Chyrisse, whhhhyyy do I need to add this to my itinerary? I donβt watch wrestling.
Look, I get it! Your first thought is probably βthis was cool when I was a kidβ and βwrestling is fakeβ. Again, totally get it. But Lucha wrestling is a part of Mexican culture β dating back to the 1800s! Itβs more than just seeing a couple of bumps in a ring. Itβs the experience of getting off work after a long day, meeting up with friends and having a couple beers while you root for your favorite luchadore.
My friend wearing her free lucha mask from our guide at the taco stand where we ate dinner.
Now thereβs a couple things you need to know before you goβ¦
- Youβre going to get a βcardβ
The βcardβ in wrestling terms is basically the list of matches that will take place that night. This will be printed on a flyer. This is helpful when you get there because then youβll be able to figure out which luchadores are wrestling in a match at a given time. Donβt worry, they will give this to you at the door.
2. There are two groups of wrestlers in a match: Rudos and TΓ©cnicos
Very simple: the rudos are the βbad guysβ and the tΓ©cnicos are the βgood guysβ. Donβt worry! The crowd will loudly cheer and boo which ones they are. Thereβs no grey area here like there can be in American wrestling. Youβll also be able to figure it out easily because the rudos will do some sneaky moves on their opponents!
3. There are only shows on Tuesday and Saturday nights
Plan accordingly when booking this! I visited Mexico City for 5 days and luckily for me, I was there for one of the nights. But if youβre going for 3 days, depending on the day, you may not be able to go. Saturday nights are also the most popular for obvious reasons.
The rudos celebrating a victory.
Thatβs iiiiittt! Think of wrestling as an escape from the hustle and grind. Just sit back, watch the aerobatic moves by the luchadores, and join in the chants with locals. My friend had a great time and she told me she was super impressed with the athleticism and physique of the luchadores (yes we did a little bit of fan girling haha).
Whatβs your favorite part about Lucha Libre wrestling?