The best place to watch lucha libre in Mexico City is a CMLL show at Arena México or Arena Coliseo. CMLL holds shows all year round: Tuesday, Friday and Sunday at Arena México, Saturday at Arena Coliseo, and many Thursdays at Arena Coliseo too. It is the only promotion with fixed weekly shows in the city, and the one that keeps traditional Mexican lucha libre alive.
| Arena | Nights | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Arena México | Tuesday, Friday, Sunday | The cathedral of lucha libre, a historic venue to visit at least once in your life |
| Arena Coliseo | Thursday, Saturday | Where Mexicans go to watch authentic lucha libre, with a more local, less touristy feel |
Not sure which one fits your trip? Read Arena México vs Arena Coliseo.
Why CMLL
CMLL, the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, is the oldest active wrestling promotion in the world: it held its first show on September 21, 1933, and has run for 93 years.
As I see it, there are two kinds of companies. Some are lucha libre companies, built on developing the athletic skills of everyone in the ring. Others are entertainment companies that use wrestling as a product: they focus on storylines, on producing for TV and social media, and on tables, chairs, ladders and other props outside the ring.
At CMLL everything is built on wrestling skill: holds, submissions, counters and high-flying moves. Around it lives the culture: the mask, the bets where wrestlers put their mask or their hair on the line, and national and world titles, some shared with CMLL’s partner companies. You will also see wrestlers from Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries, bringing puroresu, American wrestling, British catch and joshi styles into the same ring as Mexican lucha libre.
What about AAA and independent arenas?
AAA is a touring promotion: it has no regular venue in Mexico City and holds occasional events around the country, which makes it hard to plan around on a trip.
Independent arenas in the metro area, such as Arena Naucalpan, Arena Neza, San Juan Pantitlán, Azteca Budokan, Arena López Mateos and Coliseo Coacalco, have their own shows and their own crowd. I do not recommend going without someone who knows those places and how those nights work.
How to watch lucha libre online
Outside Mexico, the easiest way to watch CMLL is a membership to the official CMLL channel on YouTube, which streams the shows in different membership tiers. Every show except Thursday is broadcast.
Watch it with a host
If you want to understand what you are watching, we take you ringside at Arena México or Arena Coliseo, with dinner at Taquería El Caifán first, a real mask and a bilingual host who has followed lucha libre all his life. From MXN 1,350 per person. Check availability.
Related: How much are lucha libre tickets?
