Editing Lucha libre (section)

{{Short description|Mexican-style professional wrestling}}
{{For|the comic book series|Lucha Libre (comics)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2013}}

[[File:Lucha libre patrimonio cultural.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Plaque commemorating {{Lang|es|lucha libre|italic=yes}} as an [[intangible cultural heritage]] in Mexico City]]
{{Culture of Mexico}}
{{Professional wrestling sidebar}}

'''''Lucha libre''''' ({{IPA|es|ˈlutʃa ˈliβɾe}}, meaning "[[freestyle wrestling]]"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/lucha_libre|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423232700/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/lucha_libre |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 23, 2018 |title=lucha libre – Definition of lucha libre in English by Oxford Dictionaries |website=Oxford Dictionaries – English}}</ref> or literally translated as "free fight") is the term for the style of [[professional wrestling]] originating in Mexico. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form of the genre, characterized by colorful [[wrestling mask|masks]], rapid sequences of holds and maneuvers, and [[professional wrestling aerial techniques|"high-flying" maneuvers]], some of which have been adopted in the United States, Japan, and elsewhere. The wearing of masks has developed special significance, and matches are sometimes contested in which the loser must permanently remove his mask, which is a wager with a high degree of weight attached. [[Tag team]] wrestling is especially prevalent in ''lucha libre'', particularly matches with three-member teams, called ''trios''.

Although in English the term specifically refers to the Mexican style of theatrical professional wrestling, in Spanish it can refer to other kinds of wrestling, including competitive [[freestyle wrestling]] (''[[:es:lucha libre olímpica]]'') and professional wrestling in general (''[[:es:lucha libre profesional]]'') in addition to Mexican professional wrestling in particular (''[[:es:lucha libre mexicana]]''). However, in Spain (as with other non-Anglophone European countries) professional wrestling is known as "Catch".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.planetawrestling.com/pressing-catch-en-espana-por-que-utilizamos-este-termino/ |title=Pressing Catch en España, ¿por qué utilizamos este término? |access-date=December 4, 2019 |date=December 4, 2019 |website=PLANETA WRESTLING |language=es |last1=Ortiz |first1=Pablo }}</ref>

''Lucha libre'' wrestlers are known as ''luchadores'' (singular ''luchador'') and often come from [[List of family relations in professional wrestling|extended wrestling families]] who form their own stables. One such line integrated to the United States professional wrestling scene is ''[[Los Guerreros]]''.

In 2018, Mexican ''lucha libre'' was declared an [[intangible cultural heritage]] of [[Mexico City]] by the head of the Government of Mexico City.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/metropoli/cdmx/nombran-la-lucha-libre-como-patrimonio-cultural-intangible-de-la-cdmx#imagen-1 |title=Nombran a la lucha libre como Patrimonio cultural intangible de la CDMX |date=21 July 2018 |work=[[El Universal (Mexico City) |El Universal]] |language=es |access-date=12 May 2019}}</ref>