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In Tijuana, the Real 'Nacho Libre'
The men are facing off in a tradition that dates back to the 1930s in Mexico. Like World Wrestling Entertainment in the States, the emphasis is not on serious fighting but on fun, family entertainment, and nothing less than the triumph of good over evil.
Tonight's bill features four half-hour matchups, each comprising three rounds. After the second fight, those of us in the bleachers are invited down by the ringmaster to fill the more expensive empty seats below. Hundreds of us file down.
  A masked wrestler gets ready for a smackdown during a Friday night match in Tijuana. (Jim Benning) 
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By 11 or so, as the final match draws near, I find myself chatting in Spanish with José, a soft-spoken man sitting nearby with his two boys.
Jose tells me that when he was a kid growing up in Mexico City, he attended wrestling matches with his father. Now, living in Tijuana, he often brings his sons.
"It's part of our culture," he says. "And we're aficionados." Observing the spectators during the evening, I notice that boisterous fathers tend to have loud, screaming sons and daughters. But the opposite is also true. Jos? is quiet throughout the matches, and so are his boys.
Twelve-year-old Iván and 10-year-old Adrián watch intently, even respectfully, rarely making a sound. Iván clutches photos of his favorite wrestlers, including El Hijo del Santo.
"El Hijo del Santo is a great wrestler," José explains. "He has charisma." The charisma is evident as soon as El Hijo del Santo takes the ring. The son of the great wrestler Santo, who decades ago also made wildly popular Mexican movies, El Hijo del Santo enters the arena wearing a shiny silver mask, silver briefs over white tights and a long silver cape. His bare, waxed chest shines wth nearly mirrorlike reflective qualities.
This final matchup features some of Mexico's great wrestlers -- including El Hijo del Santo, Blue Demon Jr. and Rey Misterio. Tension mounts. "We have some stars here tonight!" the announcer hollers in Spanish.
As the fight gets underway, Rey Misterio bounces off the ropes and slaps Blue Demon's chest. Board-pounding flips ensue. Angel Blanco pins El Hijo del Solitario. The crowd cheers.
Several minutes into Round 2, the action really heats up. Angel Blanco lunges out of the ring and into the crowd, chasing El Hijo del Santo and sending spectators scattering. A cry goes up. Angel Blanco orders several women from their seats, then slams Santo into the chairs and splatters him onto the floor.
A low-level "Oooooohhhh" rumbles through the arena. Leslie win- ces and chuckles.
I glance over to see José's son, Adrián, rise to his feet and quietly assess the situation. The referee, it seems, is not pleased. He stops the fight and threatens to end it entirely before the final round.
"There are women and children here," an official admonishes the wrestlers. Several wrestlers take the microphone and apologize, requesting that the match be allowed to continue for the sake of the blameless fans.
It's a gallant move, and the audience fills with hope.
"O-tra! O-tra!" we chant. Another round! Another round!
The official, in his benevolence, gives the men the okay, and moments later, to our collective relief, Angel Blanco is pummeling El Hijo del Santo, slapping his head with a ferocity that is rare these days. Then Santo makes a stunning comeback, knocking down Angel Blanco. After several minutes of bodies smacking and limbs whirling, El Hijo del Santo, Rey Misterio and Rayo de Jalisco raise their arms in victory. We all cheer.
Leslie and I walk out into the Tijuana night, and we are pleased. In this teeming border city with such a bad reputation, the forces of good can still triumph over the forces of evil. And a masked man can be tough even when he is wearing tights.
I saw lucha libre at Palenque arena at Tijuana's Hippodrome, but on most Fridays, it takes place at the Municipal Auditorium beginning at 8:30 p.m. Tickets usually start at about $6. Information: 011-52-664- 250-9015. General information about Tijuana: Tijuana Convention & Visitors Bureau: 888-775-2417,http:/
Jim Benning is a writer in San Diego and co-editor of the online travel magazine World Hum.
