Mil Máscaras, A Living Legend

Yesterday, I spoke on the phone with Mil Mascaras, one of the most important Mexican wrestlers in history. Having grown up outside Boston, Lucha Libre was something pretty foreign to me. After having worked in Latin America for over 15 years, however, I have definitely gained an appreciation for Lucha Libre and for the ground-breaking work Mil Mascaras started when he first entered the professional ring in 1965. He is known for introducing high-flying moves such as the plancha and tope suicida, as he travelled across the world entertaining fans from Mexico to the US to Japan. Mil Mascara's persona and flashy look was originally created for the big screen, and performed in over 17 Mexican horror/wrestling/action films. The name Mil Mascaras means "a thousand masks." He allegedly wore a different mask for each match. Those of you who haven't yet experienced Lucha Libre, make sure to check out our friends at Lucha Va Voom, which is now leaving it's home in California to perform shows in Chicago and New York.