History of Lucha Libre

By JolonB

  • 1863

    1863
    Enrique Ugartechea develops a spin-off freestyle wrestling format that differs from Greco-Roman tradition.

  • Early 1900s

    Early 1900s
    During the Mexican revolution happening at the time, two Italian businessmen, Giovanni Reselevich y Antonio Fournier, began organizing and promoting fights to distract the Mexican people from the political unrest.

  • 1929

    1929
    Salvador Lutteroth González saw a professional wrestling match in El Paso, Texas and became fascinated with the sport. He decided that he would bring the sport back to Mexico.

  • 1933

    1933
    Together with partner Francisco Ahumada, González founded the Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL) in Mexico City. After being turned down by larger arenas, the EMLL had its first card in the partially demolished Arena Modelo.

  • 1942

    1942
    The use of Lucha Libre masks was popularized by the introduction of Santo, El Enmascarado de Plata, or "Saint, the Silver Masked Man."