Professional wrestling in Mexico

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This article is about the history of professional wrestling in Mexico. For the professional wrestling style popularized in the country, see Lucha libre.
Enrique Ugartechea, a pioneer of professional wrestling in Mexico.
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Professional wrestling in Mexico has existed since the late 19th century, but became popular in the 1930s following the formation of

promotion. Throughout the 20th century, professional wrestling had established itself as one of the most popular sports in Mexico, so much so that it has played an important role in national popular culture. Mexican professional wrestling has developed a distinct style and presentation known as "lucha libre", which is characterized by its colorful wrestling masks, rapid sequences of holds and maneuvers, spectacular high-flying techniques, and telenovela-inspired sports entertainment
elements.

Professional wrestling often competed with

streaming services. With the rise of the popularity of mixed martial arts (MMA) in Mexico, some Mexican wrestlers have competed in that discipline, notably Dos Caras Jr., El Solar, and Brazo de Plata
.

Unlike with other countries, professional wrestling is taken seriously by the Mexican sports press despite its predetermined nature and it is not considered a simple "spectacle" as it is in most parts of the world. Mexican news services and sports journalists do not report nor speculate on wrestlers' real names even if they know the names out of respect for lucha libre tradition, in which the true identity of masked wrestlers is kept secret from the general public. Certain Mexican wrestlers have transcended professional wrestling, notably El Santo, Blue Demon, and Mil Máscaras – collectively dubbed the Tres Grandes ("Big Three") of the Mexican wrestling tradition – became folk heroes and symbols of justice for the common man in Mexico through their appearances in luchador films.

With the globalization of professional wrestling, Mexican cities like Monterrey, Tijuana, and Mexico City have become important venues for foreign-based promotions on annual international tours.

History

Part of a series on
Professional wrestling
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Notable men
Early 20th century (Before 1949)

Mid 20th century (1950 − 1969)

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s − 2020s

Notable women
Early & Mid 20th century (1900 − 1974)

Late 20th century (1975 − 1999)

2000s

2010s

2020s

Notable tag teams and stables
Mid 20th Century − 1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s and 2020s

By region
Styles
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The origins of professional wrestling in Mexico date back to the 19th century with the introduction of Greco-Roman wrestling by French soldiers during the Second Franco-Mexican War. The first widely recognized Mexican wrestler was Enrique Ugartechea in 1863, who was known as the strongest man in the country, which caught the attention of brands like Spalding who sponsored him.[1]

In 1910, Italian wrestler Giovanni Raicevich arrived in Mexico with his wrestling troupe. At the same time, Italian businessmen Antonio Fournier brought his Teatro Colón wrestlers to Mexico, including famous catch wrestler Conde Koma, whose fighting style is considered the precursor of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.[2] The rivalry between the two wrestling troupes caused a stir among the Mexican population, generating lucrative business for both.[3] In 1921, Belgian wrestler Constant le Marin also arrived in Mexico with his company, introducing León Molero, who had been the European middleweight champion. Two years later, he returned to Mexico, bringing the Japanese wrestler Kawamura, who, along with Hércules Sampson, performed at the Frontón Nacional venue.

In September 1933,

World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later WWE) in 1997; with the former, it co-hosted the When Worlds Collide event,[5] and with the latter, it co-hosted the Royal Rumble event.[6]

In the 2000s and early 2010s, Mexican professional wrestling experienced a major resurgence of popularity and mainstream awareness during CMLL's "Místico Boom Period", built around performers like Místico and Averno. In 2011, Místico departed CMLL to join the American-based WWE promotion, where he performed under the ring name "Sin Cara".

In the 2010s and 2020s, AAA and CMLL began airing their events on

streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube
. In April 2025, AAA was acquired by WWE.

Timeline of major events

1860s–1920s – The first professional wrestling matches take place in Mexico
1933 – Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL) is founded by Salvador Lutteroth
1934 or 1935 – El Santo, who becomes part of the "Big Three" of the Mexican lucha libre tradition with Blue Demon and Mil Máscaras, debuts as a professional wrestler
1950 – Professional wrestling events begin airing on Mexican television, culminating in the formation of
Medico Asesino
1953 – EMLL joins the US-based National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) governing body, after which it is often referred to as "NWA-EMLL"
1975 – The Universal Wrestling Association, a major rival to EMLL, is founded
1991 – EMLL departs the NWA and is renamed to Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL)
1992 – AAA is founded by Antonio Peña
1993 – Triplemanía I, one of the first major events in AAA history, achieved the Mexican record attendance for wrestling (48,000+ people)
1993–1994 – The AAA-World Championship Wrestling partnership era, culminating in the 1994 When Worlds Collide event
2000 – Lucha Libre Femenil, one of the first women's wrestling promotions in Mexico, is founded
2004 – World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) holds its first house show in Mexico
2004–2011 – Místico Boom Period era
2011 – CMLL partners with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the largest Japanese wrestling promotion
2025 – WWE acquires AAA
– All Elite Wrestling holds its first event in Mexico, Grand Slam, in collaboration with CMLL

Professional wrestling style

Main article: Lucha libre

Lucha libre (translated as "freestyle wrestling") is the term used to describe the wrestling style created in Mexico,[7] characterized by rapid sequences of holds and maneuvers, "high-flying" aerial techniques, and colorful masks. While in the rest of the world (especially the United States and Japan), the Mexican wrestling style is always known by its Spanish name, lucha libre (regardless of the language), in Mexico, it is also known as pankration or pancracio (the term used in ancient Greece to describe wrestling). Another distinguishing characteristic of lucha libre is its detailed system of weight classes, possibly inspired by boxing. Each weight class has an official upper weight limit that competitors must abide by and are monitored by the Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission, but examples can be found from the history of lucha libre of wrestlers who are technically too heavy to compete in their weight class, including some who have held a weight class' title.[8]

In 2018, the lucha libre style was declared an intangible cultural heritage of Mexico City by the head of the Government of Mexico City.[9]

Professional wrestling promotions

Main article: List of professional wrestling promotions in Mexico

In Mexico, there are numerous professional wrestling promotions, but the two that dominate the modern industry are Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA). CMLL is the oldest promotion in the world, having been founded in 1933; AAA was founded in the early 1990s. To a lesser extent, the International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG), founded in 1996, and The Crash Lucha Libre, founded in 2011, have emerged as other major national wrestling promotions in the country.

Notable active professional wrestling promotions in Mexico include:

Name Promoter(s) Years active Notes
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) Salvador Lutteroth III 1933–present The oldest active professional wrestling promotion in the world.
Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) Marisela Peña
Dorian Roldán 		1992–present Founded as a break-away promotion from CMLL by Antonio Peña with the backing of Televisa.
International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG) Cesar Moreno
Marco Moreno 		1996–present Based out of Arena Naucalpan in Naucalpan, State of Mexico.
The Crash Lucha Libre Unknown 2011–present Based out of Auditorio Fausto Gutierrez Moreno in Tijuana, Baja California.
Toryumon Casa Último Dragón 1997–present Serves as the home promotion for Japanese wrestlers from Dragongate and Pro Wrestling Noah who have been sent on learning excursions in Mexico.
Lucha Libre Femenil (LLF) Luciano Alberto Garcia de Luna 2000–present One of the first women's wrestling promotions in Mexico.
Desastre Total Ultraviolento (DTU) Crazy Boy 2007–present A prominent Mexican lucha extrema (hardcore wrestling) promotion.
Alianza Universal De Lucha Libre (AULL) Hector Guzman 1990–present The sister promotion of Universal Wrestling Entertainment, a revival of the Universal Wrestling Association.

National wrestling championships

Main article: Mexican National Championships

The

Mexican-Americans in the United States. Aguayo later brought the championship belt with him to Mexico and on June 21, 1934, firmly established it as a Mexican-based title with his victory over Manuel "El Toro" Hernández in the first championship match ever sanctioned by the Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission.[11] The Mexican National Heavyweight Championship is still promoted by CMLL, making it the oldest active championship in professional wrestling.[12]

Over the years the commission has created a total of 13 different championships, seven of which for various

steel cage match on a Triplemanía event.[16]

The Mexican National Championships have been promoted by a number of Mexican-based wrestling promotions over the years. CMLL, founded in 1933, has promoted the championships since their inception and currently promotes all remaining Mexican National Championships.[17][18][19][20][21] In 1992, AAA was formed when booker Antonio Peña and a number of CMLL wrestlers broke away to create a new company. Several of the wrestlers that left were reigning Mexican National Champions and the commission allowed AAA to take promotional control of those championships at that point.[10] In 2006, Mascarita Sagrada, the Mexican National Mini-Estrella Champion, left AAA while still holding the championship, rendering it inactive from that point on.[10][22] From 2008 to 2011, AAA abandoned all their Mexican National Championships, instead choosing to focus on promoting AAA-branded championships.

The Mexican National Championships include:

Championship Division Created Abandoned Notes Ref(s).
Featherweight Championship 57 kg (126 lb)
63 kg (139 lb) 		February 25, 1938 1992 Was primarily promoted on the Mexican independent circuit. [10][23]
Lightweight Championship 63 kg (139 lb)
70 kg (150 lb) 		June 28, 1934 — Currently promoted by CMLL; was once promoted exclusively for Mini-Estrellas. [10][17][24]
Welterweight Championship 70 kg (150 lb)
77 kg (170 lb) 		June 17, 1934 — Currently promoted by CMLL. [10][12][19]
Middleweight Championship 82 kg (181 lb)
87 kg (192 lb) 		1933 — Currently promoted by CMLL. [10][15][25]
Light Heavyweight Championship 87 kg (192 lb)
97 kg (214 lb) 		September 25, 1945 — Currently promoted by CMLL. [10][18][24]
Cruiserweight Championship 97 kg (214 lb)
105 kg (231 lb) 		November 13, 1983 December 8, 2008 Was primarily promoted by AAA. [10][26][27]
Heavyweight Championship Over 105 kg (231 lb) 1926 — Currently promoted by CMLL. [10][28][29][30]
Tag Team Championship Two man tag teams June 14, 1957 — Currently promoted by CMLL. [10][31][32]
Trios Championship Three man tag teams March 10, 1985 — Currently promoted by CMLL. [10][33][21]
Atómicos Championship Four man tag teams August 9, 1996 January 24, 2009 Was primarily promoted by AAA. [10][34]
Women's Championship Women 1955 — Currently promoted by CMLL. [35][36][37]
Women's Tag Championship
 Female tag teams August 10, 1990 — Currently promoted by CMLL. [10][38]
Mini-Estrella Championship
Mini-Estrellas
 		January 8, 1993 2006 Was primarily promoted by AAA. [10][22]

Foreign wrestling tours in Mexico

See also: WWE in Mexico

WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling company based in Stamford, Connecticut, has held annual tours in Mexico since 2004. The first event was held on April 3 of that year at Arena Monterrey in the city of the same name. After the success of the first WWE event in Mexico, WWE's Raw brand returned to Mexico in November 2004.[39] In 2011, the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City would host the first Mexican television taping of WWE Raw; days later, the same venue was host to an episode of WWE SmackDown.[40] As of July 2024, 89 WWE events have been held on Mexican soil.

Other non-Mexican professional wrestling companies have toured the country.

British wrestling promotion Fight Club: Pro (FCP) held their first event in Mexico in collaboration with The Crash Lucha Libre. The following month in October 2019, Major League Wrestling (MLW) held their first event in Mexico in collaboration with The Crash Lucha Libre; MLW has since held collaborative events in Mexico with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). On March 4, 2023, the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) held their The World is a Vampire event in collaboration with AAA at Foro Sol in Mexico City; the event drew over 30,000 spectators,[41] making it one of the highest attended wrestling events in the history of Mexico. On June 30, 2023, Japanese wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) held their inaugural event in Mexico, Fantastica Mania México, in collaboration with CMLL; Fantastica Mania México has since become an annual collaborative event held by NJPW and CMLL. On June 18, 2025, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) held their Grand Slam event in Arena México
.

Mexican wrestlers abroad

Being a wrestling power, Mexico has exported a large number of professional wrestlers abroad, working for promotions such as WWE, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Ring of Honor (ROH), Pro Wrestling Noah, among others. Most of them (especially the masked ones) carry the Mexican lucha libre wrestling style with them, while others change their styles to better fit those of their adopted countries and promotions or mix the lucha libre style with other styles of professional wrestling.

Several Mexican wrestlers have won professional wrestling championships, including prestigious world championships, in a country other than their own. Alberto Del Rio has held the WWE Championship and WWE's World Heavyweight Championship, for a total of four reigns.[42] In ROH, Bandido and Rush are two-time ROH World Champions, with Rush's second reign being the third-longest in the title's history.[43][44] Blue Demon Jr., son of the eponymous legend, held the NWA World's Heavyweight Championship for 501 days.[45] Pentagón Jr. won the Impact World Championship, although his reign was one of the shortest in the title's history (two days).[46] El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. has been GHC Heavyweight Champion in Pro Wrestling Noah, being to date the only Mexican to achieve a world heavyweight title in Japan.[47] Mexican wrestler Luis Mante held the Open the Dream Gate Championship, an openweight championship in the Japanese Dragongate promotion. Thunder Rosa is the only Mexican woman to have held a world championship in the United States, winning both the NWA Women's Championship and the AEW Women's Championship.[48]

Among the Mexican male wrestlers who have excelled abroad are:

Among the Mexican female wrestlers who have excelled abroad are:

See also

References

  1. ^ Azem Martínez, Gustavo (2024-04-12). "Enrique Ugartechea, ¿qué fue del primer luchador mexicano y quien sentó las bases del pancracio?". El Heraldo de México (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2025-06-12.
  2. ^ Mexican Herald, November 16, 1909
  3. ^ "Lucha Libre: La historia jamás contada". www.diariocultura.mx. 2013-02-27. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
  4. ^ "Salvador Lutteroth, El Padre de la Lucha Libre Mexicana". Diario del Sureste (in Mexican Spanish). 2024-04-26. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
  5. Asistencia Asesoría y Administración. Archived from the original
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  6. ^ "Royal Rumble 1997". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  7. ^ "lucha libre – Definition of lucha libre in English by Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries – English. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018.
  8. ^ Arturo Montiel Rojas (August 30, 2001). "Reglamento de box y lucha libre profesional del estado de mexico" (PDF). Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 30, 2006. Retrieved April 3, 2009. CAPITULO XXVI> DEL PESO DE LOS LUCHADORES
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  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Lucha 2000 Staff (December 20, 2004). "Los Reyes de Mexico: La Historia de Los Campeonatos Nacionales". Lucha 2000 (in Spanish). Especial 21.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Centinela, Teddy (June 21, 2015). "En un día como hoy… 1934: Charro Aguayo inaugura el linaje de los Campeones Nacionales de Peso Completo". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved June 21, 2015.
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  16. ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". ProWrestlingHistory.com. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
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  18. ^ a b "Atlantis, nuevo Campeón Nacional Semicompleto". Medio Tiempo (in Spanish). August 25, 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  19. ^ a b "Rey Cometa, nuevo campeón nacional welter". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). MSN. June 11, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
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  29. ^ Mexicool, Rey (February 15, 2012). "Perros del Mal (Resultados 14 de feb.): Héctor Garza, nuevo Campeón Nacional Completo – Halloween gana la Copa Extrema de la jauría". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved February 16, 2012.
  30. ^ Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (September 26, 2020). "Nuevo monarca en la división máxima" [new monarch in the top division] (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
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  35. ^ "¡La juventud triunfó! Metálica, nueva Campeona Nacional Femenil" [The Youth triumphs! Metálica new national women's champion]. MedioTiempo (in Spanish). MSN. December 30, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
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  37. ^ Navarro, Ivan (September 26, 2020). "Carístico y Místico, los grandes ganadores del 87 aniversario". PublicMetro (in Spanish). Retrieved September 26, 2020.
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  39. ^ "La primera vez que WWE pisó México". MedioTiempo (in Mexican Spanish). October 14, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  40. ^ Parks, Greg (October 21, 2011). "Parks' WWE SmackDown report 10/21: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of the show, including Sin Cara vs. Sin Cara in a mask vs. mask match". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
  41. ^ Hernández, Alejandro (March 5, 2023). "The Smashing Pumpkins y Peter Hook coronan una noche oscura en The World Is A Vampire". Forbes. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  42. ^ Cano Vela, Eduardo (14 August 2011). "¡Alberto del Río cobra su maletín MITB y es el nuevo campeón de la WWE! – Primer luchador mexicano en ser campeón de la WWE". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  43. ^ Rivera, Rafael (2025-04-07). "Bandido salva su máscara y se convierte en campeón mundial de ROH en AEW Dynasty". www.postadeportes.com. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
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  48. ^ ""Really Challenging" – Thunder Rosa On Being AEW Women's Champion". ITR Wrestling. 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
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