The world of Mexican midget wrestling
On the way to Paris last week I met up with two friends in Kings Cross. We had all flicked through the Metro newspaper that morning and were equally startled to read the title of one article: “Wrestling midgets killed by fake hookers.” If ever there has been a more bizarre headline I would like to know what it is – answers below please.
The photograph was also truly surreal, but it became more fantastical the further we read. We were informed that “The world of Mexican midget wrestling is in mourning after two of its most famous stars were apparently poisoned by fake prostitutes.” However, what really shocked us - more than their death at the hands of two people posing as hookers - was the implication that there actually exists a whole “world” of midget wrestling out there, just waiting to be discovered; let alone one that is particular to Mexico.
It’s the sort of piece that one expects a national paper to run on April Fool’s Day and one can’t just blame the tendency towards sensationalism on the Metro’s inferior quality as a freebie paper – the Guardian also ran the story. Admittedly it was under the more sober title: “Female robbers may have drugged wrestlers to death” and it left, until the end, the crucial bit of information that “midget wrestling is officially featured at professional wrestling tournaments in Mexico and the US.”
Not only is it all true then, but Americans enjoy the sport too!
I don’t want to undermine what must have been a tragedy for friends and relatives of the pair: The diminutive wrestlers, leading lights in their field, were found dead in a hotel room after being drugged and robbed. The killers are believed to be members of an organised crime gang who pose as prostitutes to attract victims.
Of course, it was even bigger news in Mexico; the media here ran the story over many days. Intrigued, I have decided to investigate this phenomenon further and to expand on my meagre knowledge of the wrestling world in Mexico – in all its myriad forms. Consequently I am now signed up to a 3-day wrestling fair at the end of July: http://www.luchalibrelaexperiencia.com
Watch this space.
The photograph was also truly surreal, but it became more fantastical the further we read. We were informed that “The world of Mexican midget wrestling is in mourning after two of its most famous stars were apparently poisoned by fake prostitutes.” However, what really shocked us - more than their death at the hands of two people posing as hookers - was the implication that there actually exists a whole “world” of midget wrestling out there, just waiting to be discovered; let alone one that is particular to Mexico.
It’s the sort of piece that one expects a national paper to run on April Fool’s Day and one can’t just blame the tendency towards sensationalism on the Metro’s inferior quality as a freebie paper – the Guardian also ran the story. Admittedly it was under the more sober title: “Female robbers may have drugged wrestlers to death” and it left, until the end, the crucial bit of information that “midget wrestling is officially featured at professional wrestling tournaments in Mexico and the US.”
Not only is it all true then, but Americans enjoy the sport too!
I don’t want to undermine what must have been a tragedy for friends and relatives of the pair: The diminutive wrestlers, leading lights in their field, were found dead in a hotel room after being drugged and robbed. The killers are believed to be members of an organised crime gang who pose as prostitutes to attract victims.
Of course, it was even bigger news in Mexico; the media here ran the story over many days. Intrigued, I have decided to investigate this phenomenon further and to expand on my meagre knowledge of the wrestling world in Mexico – in all its myriad forms. Consequently I am now signed up to a 3-day wrestling fair at the end of July: http://www.luchalibrelaexperiencia.com
Watch this space.