Lucha Libre Expo in Vallarta

Galerías Vallarta has just announced an upcoming photographic exhibition, Arena México: Lucha Libre, Tradición Mexicana (lucha libre, a Mexican tradition), featuring photographs captured at Mexico City’s renowned Arena México between 2000 and 2016. The exhibition comprises 13 images carefully curated by Francisco Salvador Alonso Lutteroth, President of the Lucha Libre World Council. A special opening reception will take place on Thursday, August 25 at 4 pm at Galerías Vallarta, during which two Mexican luchadores, “Sangre Azteca” and “Titán” will be present along with Lucha Libre World Council representatives.

Lucha libre literally means “Free fight,” and it relates to a form of professional wrestling developed in Mexico. While it’s similar to freestyle wrestling, lucha libre took a life of its own in Mexico, where it is characterized by colorful masks, high-flying maneuvers, and then there are the wrestlers themselves, who frequently come from extended wrestling families and develop unique personas while they are on the wresting ring.

Given its unique character, Mexican lucha libre has transcended borders, often appearing in pop culture, movies, mainstream advertising, and even animated television series such as ¡Mucha Lucha! and Los Luchadores.

Galerías Vallarta is located across from Puerto Vallarta’s Maritime Terminal in the Hotel Zone.

Lucha Libre in Puerto Vallarta

Lucha libre is alive and well in Puerto Vallarta, with a sizable number of local fans and the occasional group of expats that venture to Coapinole, a neighborhood near Pitillal, where the Demonio Blanco Coliseum is located. Unfortunately, information about upcoming fights is sketchy at best. However, the coliseum does have a Facebook page that is updated regularly.

Lucha libre fights are scheduled on an ongoing basis.

Demonio Blanco is both a sports arena and gym.