Lucha Libre invades the fair

Attending a Lucha Libre match in Mexico is like therapy for wrestling fans.

“People go to the matches and they scream and vent and escape their worries,” said Jorge Guzman, the Mexican wrestler known as “El Hijo del Santo” [The Son of the Saint]. “When they leave the arena, they leave content and come back for another match. I think this is why the Lucha Libre is successful.”

Guzman thinks Lucha Libre, which translates loosely to “free-style fighting,” will become more popular in the United States.

Films like “Nacho Libre” with actor Jack Black and TV cartoons such as “Mucha Lucha” have introduced the American audience to the Mexican-style wrestling Guzman represents.

People who visit the Orange County Fair this weekend will get a more intense introduction. Guzman, who lives in Mexico City, will take to the arena with other Mexican and local wrestlers at 8 p.m. today and Sunday at the Washington Mutual Arena at the fairgrounds.

Mexican wrestlers featured will include “Dr. Wagner Jr.,” “Super Kendo” and “Super Parka.” Members of the local World Power Wrestling Super Stars will also take the stage at the fair.

This is Guzman’s first appearance at the fair. A professional wrestler for 23 years, Guzman is the son of “Santo, El Enmascarado de Plata” [Saint, the silver-masked man].

El Santo, whose real name was Rodolfo Guzman Huerta, was a Mexican icon, wrestler and actor.

Like his father and most Lucha Libre wrestlers, Guzman wears a costume, which adds a theatrical and dramatic touch to the sport, which is also popular in South America and Japan. Guzman wears a silver mask and silver cape.

His father made films from the 1950s to the early 1980s. The films are considered campy and feature the silver-masked wrestler portrayed as a hero, caught in perilous situations.

Martin Marin, who also is known as both Ali Baba and El Genio, remembers El Santo films. The Huntington Beach resident is the founder of World Power Wrestling. He will be at the fair’s Lucha Libre show, but will not wrestle because of an injury he sustained last week.

He said Mexican-style wrestling is rising in popularity in the United States.

“In Mexico, it’s back to its original glory; the arenas are full again,” said Marin, who has 25 years of experience in the sport and has wrestled throughout South America.

The popularity of American and Mexican wrestling goes up and down, depending on the mood of the public, he said.

Guzman said there are differences between American and Mexican wrestling.

“The American wrestlers talk too much and fight too little,” Guzman said.

American wrestlers, he said, fight for five minutes, maybe 10 minutes at the most. Guzman said he fights 25 to 30 minutes.

“Also, Mexican wrestling is much more spectacular. (American wrestlers) have copied our style, and that’s flattering,” he said. “But I respect them a lot because they are great athletes. It’s not easy being a wrestler.”

For Rudy Madrid, wrestling is better than getting into mischief on the streets of Anaheim.

Madrid used to vent his anger out on the streets. Now the 20-year-old vents his anger in the wrestling arena.

He began training in Mexican-style wrestling eight years ago with Marin, who took him, as well as other aspiring wrestlers, under his wing.

“We used to watch (American wrestling) on TV when I was a kid, and since then I just dreamed to be a wrestler,” said Madrid, whose wrestler name is R2K. During wrestling matches, he wears a black rubber jumpsuit with a pink bowtie.

Madrid does not wear a mask hiding his face.

Guzman, in the tradition of his famous father, does wear a mask.

He said he does not take his mask off in public or private because he wants to continue the aura of mystery his father began in the 1950s.

“We are like Batman, but we (keep our mask on) in our real life,” Guzman said. “This is something that is magical for our public, and it is something they like.”dpt.22-fair-3-CPhotoInfo531T6MCL20060722j2rqv0ncCaption: (LA)Ali Baba dpt.22-fair-1-BPhotoInfoQ01T72AB20060722j2rqszncCredit: Photos courtesy of O.C. Fair Caption: (LA)Wagner dpt.22-fair-4-CPhotoInfo531T6MCO20060722j2rqvpncCaption: (LA)Infernal