Mexican-style wrestling drawing fans from across the border

Ever since the American movie "Nacho Libre" came out starring Jack Black, folks in this country have been acquiring a taste for a flashy and exciting sport. Combine mysterious-looking masks with a cross between wrestling and a circus act - and you've got lucha libre. This Mexican tradition has been loved down there since the 1930s, but the Latin take on professional wrestling is only starting to get attention here in the U.S.

News teams from The Sun and our Spanish weekly Bajo El Sol recently ventured south of the border to take in a lucha libre fight in San Luis Rio Colorado.

While some naysayers may think that lucha libre fighting is just pro wrestling with a mask, they're absolutely wrong. Although this style is far cheesier than its U.S. cousin - believe it or not - the Mexican version succeeds in providing a much more entertaining spectacle, one full of acrobatics and pretty athletic antics. These guys do gymnastic-level jumps and flips, plus tricks with the ropes that truly demand some considerable skill.

When going to a lucha libre event, expect to witness a soap opera's telling of good versus evil. No matter how over the top the action is, too, expect crowds to get caught up in the drama and go wild.

As lucha libre history goes, the first fighter to don the mask was Rodolfo Guzman Huerta, who performed as The Saint. He's credited with developing many of the moves used today and was often called Mexico's answer to John Wayne. His funeral was supposedly one of the greatest ever seen in Mexico. And yes, he was buried with his famous mask.

A few fast facts:

-Some lucha libre wrestlers in Mexico make big names for themselves - and fight a really long time. That latter fact is due to the tradition of some popular characters being played by more than one person during that character's career.

-Matches have been known to spark riots, which have nearly shut down large cities in Mexico.

----

Darin Fenger can be reached at

dfenger@yumasun.com or 539-6860.

----

LEARN THE LINGO

Lucha libre: The name literally means free wrestling or free fighting.

Luchadores: What fighters are called.

Luchas: What the actual fights or matches are called.

Technicos: The so-called good guys of lucha libre. These guys are known for being a bit more light and lithe than their dark-spirited components, showing off an impressive array of acrobatic tricks. As fighters they boast a great deal of technique - hence their label.

Rudos: These are the bad guys that everyone loves to hate.

ALL ABOUT THE MASKS

In the beginning the masks were mostly just a way to differentiate wrestlers. Now the famous trademark accessory of the luchador represents the very magic of this very Latin sport.

What began as simply colored masks quickly became masks of all colors and styles, many of them representing a certain hero or villain, taking off with some pretty complex and involved costumes.

But the masks aren't just for putting on - they're also for taking off by other fighters. Getting the mask of a rival amounts to a major coup for fighters, whose Web sites list all sorts of stats - including whose masks they've snatched.

Also ...

- Many fighters live their entire public lives behind the mystique of their masks, wearing their famous coverings to celebrity outings and such.

- Famous wrestlers often pass their masks on to their sons, who carry on

INVITE A FIGHT TO YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN

To see a lucha without having to make the drive to Mexico, just go to YouTube.com. There's lots of great lucha videos online.

Do a search for "Latin Lover." He's one of lucha libre's biggest names and certainly one of the sport's most popular sex symbols with female fans. You might recognize him

SEE A LIVE LUCHA

Lucha libre events are getting to be pretty frequent in nearby San Luis Rio Colorado, Son. They're held at the municipal gymnasium, which is just a short drive (or even walk) from the border. The venue is located just south of the downtown sector. The only trick is finding out about the next event, which is usually publicized by colorful posters that are hung up all over town. The best advice is to watch border newspapers or keep an eye out for posters when visiting the border city.

SOME PRETTY BIG NAMES

San Luis Rio Colorado may be a long way from the bright lights of Mexico's biggest cities, but the border town still attracts some pretty big names when it comes to lucha libre. These are guys who you can see punching and flipping right before your eyes on Saturday then catch the very next day on TV networks like Telemundo or Univision. These fighters are certainly not nobodies and are actually some of Mexico's biggest stars.

To see some of the famous folks who have fought in these parts go to www.triplea.com.mx. Click on "AAA Stars" and check out the bios on: Mascara Divina, Oriental and La Parka. Click on "LLL Stars" and check out the bios on: Charlie Manson and Cibernetico

SOURCES

- Coverage of a recent lucha in San Luis Rio Colorado, Son.

- BajoElSol.com

- AssociatedContent.com