“¿Dónde están los Colombianos? ¿Dónde están los Guatemaltecos? ¿Dónde están los Mexicanos?”
The announcer never got to ¿Dónde están los Cubanos?, but my mouth was full of tamal and Modelo, so my cheering would’ve only sounded like the muffler of a Pontiac anyway.
I, of course, was at the historic Mayan Theater in downtown L.A. awaiting the start of Lucha VaVoom!
This bilingual fantasy sporting event brings together a cross-section of people who are, as my mom would say mal de la cabeza, and into violencia with a little bit of sexo, as in between matches there are burlesque acts that make me sweaty in the pits. Each Lucha VaVoom! has a different theme, making every show a new experience. And even knowing that bad-guy wrestler Dirty Sanchez digs into the back of his trunks and flings poop at the crowd is a surprise every time.
If you go: You’re going to need tickets and a sense of humor. Some cash for parking and tamales. The bar takes a credit cards, but do you really want to be the guy holding up the line because you’re waiting for your receipt to print out?
The Mayan Theater: 1038 S Hill St., Downtown Los Angeles
Tickets are sold here: LuchaVaVoom.com
A Cuban's Guide to L.A. 