Luchadors are on television, movies, the works. Lucha Libre is everywhere. Think of the symbolism in a mask. Batman is just a rich sociopath who never got over the deaths of his parents, but because he has a mask, that changes. If you take away the mask, and Batman is just a guy named Bruce Wayne, if you cut off Samsons hair, he loses al his strength. Symbols represent many different aspects of our lives, but luchadors, are living, breathing symbols.
Let’s look at Pro wrestling in America, without those ridiculous robes, and shock of blonde hair, is Ric Flair, still Ric Flair? Roman Reigns without a vest? John Cena without jean shorts, Austin without his vest. These are all key aspects of the wrestlers. Can they move on without them? Of course, but it won’t be the same. There many luchadors that are still popular, after losing their hair or mask. But it is also safe to say, it hasn’t been the same since.
At the end of this piece, I will recommend some matches for you to watch that are accessible online, in order for you to get more acquainted with this type of match up. Whether you can understand what they say or not, everything is told thru actions and body language. And besides, you probably still watched New Japan, even before Kevin Kelly. It will have matches from different eras and all over the world. I will also recommend again the Netflix documentary “Lucha Mexico” as it has a very detailed and heartbreaking section on a luchador losing his mask. I ask you to watch these, and maybe grow an appreciation for this sport that I hold so dear.
I’ll leave you with this quote from Rey Fenix, from an interview I did earlier this year. We spoke about the importance of masks in Lucha Libre culture, and how much it may mean to a wrestler. How key it is to both fans and the wrestler themselves. He floored me with his explanation, because up to that point it was an almost intangible thing I couldn’t explain. Maybe it takes a luchador to explain better.
“In Mexico its super important. It would very odd, the impact would be gone. Imagine Pentagon, or myself without a mask? It would be completely different. How would the crowd react? The mystery and the aura is gone. As a Luchador, you give love and care to the mystery, to that aura, in knowing that putting on that mask, you take on that power the mask gives, and you show people that with this power, you can defeat anyone. It’s a lot of emotion and energy you put into a mask, that’s why it’s the hardest thing in the world for a Luchador to lose his mask. The quickest thing one can say, it’s not the same as when the wrestler had the mask. When a Luchador loses his mask its like losing his value, his virtue…you’re also taking away the power that wrestler had”
– Rey Fenix
Foco Picks:
La Parka v Cibernetico |Mask v Hair| Triplemania XII
Minoru Suzuki v Hiroki Goto |Hair v Hair (Never Openweight Championship) |WrestleKingdom 12
Jeff Jarrett v Rey Wagner |Hair v Hair| Heroes Inmortales XII
Kane v Triple H |Mask v Title (World Heavyweight Championship) |Raw 6/23/03
Atlantis v La Sombra | Mask v Mask| Anniversario CMLL
