Mexico

**South of the Border Pro Wrestling** dominated Mexican lucha libre for years, and while the name may have changed - to Empresa Internacional de Lucha Libre - they're still the undoubted top dogs in the country. That said, they suffered a double setback two years ago - not only did Jorge Ibanez, who'd plunged massive amounts of money into the company, sadly pass away, but Champagne Lover, their major star - and one of the most famous wrestlers in the world - decided his talents were better suited to Hollywood than the squared circle. Running a slightly Americanised version of traditional lucha libre, they're big on storylines, especially for main events, they have a fairly easy wrestling style which doesn't drain the wrestlers too much, and they don't go overboard with gimmick matches, although things like ladders and cages can make an appearance. And, of course, the lucha de apuesta, in which wrestlers bet their hair or mask, is a huge deal here. With Lover retired, El Leon, formerly the OLLIE figurehead but established as an EILL star for nearly a decade now, has tried to fill the lead tecnico role, but they're massive shoes to step into. The other big crowd favourite is Rock God Alvarez, who's improved immeasurably since his days of relying on his charisma to get past his poor in-ring skills, while lead rudos include Dr Rudo - as evil as his name suggests - and high spender Multimillionario. And rising fast is second generation superstar Gino Montero, following in the footsteps of his legendary father Luis and with the potential to perhaps be even better than his dad - he's been in the company for an entire year and is yet to eat a pinfall or submission.

**Original Lucha Libre Is Eternal** turn 65 this year, but they are a shadow of their former self. The oldest fed in the world and at one point the most popular promotion in the country, there seems little chance of them ever regaining that status. However, they still have fans - mostly because of Nicolas Lopez, a former SOTBPW competitor who even at the age of 44 would be welcomed back with open arms to EILL. Instead, he's a major player for OLLIE (his current title reign is his 8th run with the Campeonato de Universal belt) and for the Confederation of the Territories, where he's a two-time champion. Style-wise, they're similar to EILL although less Americanised, while perhaps their biggest pro at the moment is a hot women's division, based mostly around the incredibly marketable and super-charismatic Electric Dreamer, who the fans love and who is a fabulous flyer. While women currently wrestle each other exclusively, there have been intergender matches in the past, most shockingly when current star Mystery Pink became the first luchadora ever to defeat a luchador for a belt with a stunning flash cradle win over Amo Del Gato to take the Campeonato del Mexico.

The newest federation in Mexico is perhaps the most bizarre company in the world, with their recent turn of direction making them a stranger prospect even than New Zealand's ZEN. Abandoning tag team wrestling recently, **Extremo Moderno Lucha Libre** have reinvented themselves as part wrestling fed, part comic book, and part horror movie, with the legendary Luis Montero showing a bizarre skill at booking something about as far away from classic wrestling storylines as you can get. Since the timelines splintered, where does the Snake King, servant of the Immortal Snake God, fit in? Why did Samael The Accuser travel here from the Dark Universe? Can Tarantula capture the Ring of Chaos for the Spider God? What the heck is generic-looking guy La Estrella doing getting involved in a fed like this? All these questions will be answered. Maybe. At the moment, it seems like things just get weirder every show, but it's never less than entertaining! With a massively vocal fan base here to see dark and strange storylines and great matches of any type, EMLL truly stands out, although many people will debate whether that's for good or bad reasons.

**Comite Internacional de Lucha Libre**, the smallest of Mexico's 'name' 4 feds, is perhaps the most traditional of them all, although they do dispense with much of the usual strictness when it comes to tecnicos and rudos, letting anyone fight anyone else. With big characters, easy to follow storylines, over the top gimmicks and masks, and a wrestling style which will pop the fans without taking too much out of the luchadors and luchadoras, they're proud to be a fun destination for all the family. Stars include El Pavo Real, whose peacock-inspired mask is spectacular, and who has achieved more fame than most of the fed as he also works for OLLIE, the furry-masked Monkey Man whose King of the Swingers is one of the most devastating moves in lucha history, and popular tecnico luchadoras Estrella Blanca and Pinky Perez, leading the charge for Mexican fans to take women's wrestling seriously. While they're not a member of the COTT, CILL are well-known for cooperation with other companies, talent trading frequently with OLLIE and with the USA's CZCW and QAW, as well as taking wrestlers on excursion from Japan's famous Burning Hammer of the Wrestling Gods.