The thud of bodies hitting the ring floor was part of the soundtrack for the Thursday night event at Aragon Music Hall celebrating Mexican Independence Day early.
Lucha libre bouts were showcased at the Pharr venue as dozens of families with small children watched. This year el Dieciseis de Septiembre is the 202nd anniversary of Mexican independence and falls on Sunday.
On Thursday night, Luis Gutierrez was lacing the lucha libre mask of his young son while waiting for the first match to begin.
"Well, because we're Mexicans, but we also came a little bit for the kids," he said when asked why lucha libre was a good way to celebrate Mexico's independence.
A masked fan who identified himself as Ark Angel De Oro waited patiently for the match to begin.
"Since I was small, I was interested in this sport and I'm here to support my teacher, Pantera, tonight," he said. "It represents something about our Mexican culture -- the Azteca and the Mayans and all that stuff."
The main event pitted wrestlers named La Parkita, Muerte Cibernetica, Bracito de Plata and another fighter against each other.
During the first bout, teams of two men faced off: Aquila Azteca, shirtless in turquoise pants, and Wolverine, in a mask with pointed ears, versus Infierno, with flames decorating his mask, and Karate Lee, who wore a white bandana tied around his head.
The wrestlers postured for the crowd, sometimes engaging them in taunts in the jovial atmosphere. At one point, an excited young boy snuck into the ring.
The lucha libre men displayed several moves that, had they miscalculated, might've left them seriously injured.
"Hit him!" a member of the crowd yelled as the wrestlers continued.
