In Mexico, baseball and fútbol (soccer) are the two most popular sports. However, wrestling also has a substantial cult-like following.

Lucha Libre, which means free fight, it is practically its own religion in which wrestlers are treated like Gods.

LA Times reporter Kate Linthicum writes, since the coronavirus pandemic hit, the men behind the masks have had to find new ways to earn a living.

Lucha Libre is a product of Mexico’s working-class community.

“It was cheap, fun, entertainment — you know this wrestling with bits of acting involved. People dressed up in masks, Lycra pants, and flung themselves off the ropes and on to each other. It’s become one of the most beloved and cultural post guards of Mexico,” said Linthicum. 

Being a wrestler is not a comfortable lifestyle. Compared to wrestling stars in the United States and other parts of the world, Lucha Libre stars do not make a lot of money. “Their income depends on a cut of ticket sales. So these are guys who are recognized on the streets here, but often are barely getting by,” added Linthicum.

In the months since the coronavirus struck back in March, wrestling arenas closed, and wrestlers had to find another way to make money. 

“Many Lucha Libre stars found themselves relying on handouts from wrestling organizers. They had to reinvent themselves, and many have chosen street food as a place to do it. You have Último Guerrero, one of the biggest stars in Mexico’s wrestling world, now flipping hamburgers at a stand outside of his house. Olímpico, another huge star who is running a crepe stand — it kinda makes sense because restaurants are a world where you need big personalities to sell, to sell the idea, and these are big personalities,” said Linthicum.

Fans have responded well to the wrestlers’ new endeavor, and are willing to come from different cities to see them and try their food. 

“Fans have been pretty deprived these last few months because there are no new wrestling matches around Mexico. I talked to one guy who had dragged his wife across town to eat one of Último Guerrero’s hamburgers, and he was giggling and was so excited to see him in person,” added Linthicum.

Some of the wrestlers say selling street food has been a humbling experience for them.

“The key to being a good Lucha Libre star is having that larger than life presence. You have to have a big ego to be a good Lucha Libre star. Now, they are suffering like so many others. Olímpico told me it had been a good kind of bruising for his ego because he had fallen from Olympus to the ground and was learning how to be a regular guy again,” said Linthicum.