Top Mexico City Travel & Transportation Services - page 8

I have been a wrestling fan (though I’m lapsed now) for several years and going to an Arena Mexico show has been a bucket list goal for me for years. My husband is not a fan of wrestling nor is he interested in it at all. When we decided to spend part of our honeymoon in Mexico City, this was the one thing that I was adamant about doing. We were in a group of five people with Arturo as the tour guide. I was the only person that was at all familiar with wrestling. The mezcal tasting was fun. I had never had mezcal before (it’s kind of a smokier tequila), so it was new for me. There were a few different types we tasted and they ranged from ok to great. I liked it enough to try mezcal drinks elsewhere. The guacamole was really good too. There was a gentleman that would give some details about each mezcal (age, taste, how it’s made, and so forth) in Spanish and Arturo would translate to English. You can also try the grasshoppers if you want a more authentic experience. The show was a lot of fun. If you are not familiar, Arena Mexico might be the most iconic wrestling venue in the world (the other options are in Japan, nothing in any English-speaking country comes close). Lucha is probably the most non-wrestling-fan friendly wrestling there is (the moves are generally acrobatic and the crowd is lively without being obnoxious). Arena Mexico holds around 15,000 people and the Friday show usually sells out, so if you’re a fan that isn’t in the area of the arena and/or with limited Spanish proficiency, this is probably the easiest way to make sure you get tickets and can navigate the arena. My first recommendation is to go to the Friday show if you can. The Friday show is the main show. The other shows are secondary. If you are interested in the card, it is usually out on social media by Wednesday. Make sure to grab some food before the show. The meet up spot is very close to a bunch of street vendors, so grab some tacos, a torta, or elotes. Expect about 2-3 drinks worth of mezcal before walking to the show (though you can obviously refuse a drink). It’s maybe a mile walk, so be careful about drinking too much. At the show, there are vendors selling snacks and beer, and they’re very attentive if you need anything. Arturo made sure everyone was safe at all times, which is great because it’s in a less nice neighborhood in Mexico City. Most importantly, you do not need to be a fan to enjoy the show. Arturo explained everything that was necessary (without the torrent of details wrestling fans are known to give). The Arena Mexico show, particularly the Friday show, is basically designed to be tourist-friendly. It is very traditional lucha libre (2 of 3 falls; no hardcore matches; little to no wrestling chicanery, especially compared to other Mexican promotions). If you’re an American fan, leaving the ring counts as a tag (generally…it’s wrestling), so don’t always expect tags in a tag match. I think everyone had a really good time. I know my husband was shocked at how much fun he had. For me, it was one of my favorite shows ever and my favorite for reasons outside of the matches (although I thought the main event we saw was great).