January 1st, 2022
‘MONTERREY CITY OFFICIAL TRIES TO SHUT DOWN THE LLF’
We have just been made aware of some disturbing news from Monterrey, Mexico… the
Commissioner of Sports in the City of Monterrey is trying to arbitrarily shut down the
LLF wrestling promotion!
As wrestling fans around the world know, Lucha Libre Femenil (LLF) is a premier showcase
for some of the very best women’s wrestling in all of Mexico, and has for twenty years been
an organization which the people of Monterrey have taken great pride in.
With Monterrey facing so many of the problems which major metropolitan areas the world
over share, not least of which are the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as rampant crime, it
baffles us that a city official would focus his time and efforts on attacking a single pro
wrestling promotion. His demand is that the LLF must have a licensed physician at ringside
at all times. What’s curious is that we are not aware that any other promotion in Monterrey
is yet being made to do likewise.
The LLF has always had medical personnel available for their live events. But the expense
of hiring a medical doctor to be present, as opposed to EMTs, is simply too cost prohibitive
for any independent wrestling promotion in Mexico.
Without any advance warning, the Sports Commissioner arrived at the LLF Arena to inform
the promoter, Luciano Garcia, that unless he immediately hired a full-time medical doctor,
the city would not let the LLF’s 20th Anniversary Event, scheduled for just days later, to
be held. The Commissioner was unwilling to discuss any alternatives to his demand, nor
was he willing to delay implementing it until after the live event. Formal requests to have
the issue reconsidered by his office have been summarily rejected.
Professional wrestling, particularly in Mexico, can be tough to the point of brutal. But the
LLF has always had a reputation for offering the safest conditions possible. If they hadn’t,
they never would have drawn so many headline female stars from the United States, Canada
and even Japan to fight in their ring.
And words can be backed by facts: There has never been a single serious injury in an LLF
match throughout the organization’s entire history. Bumps, bruises and, yes, even blood…
but no one has ever been severely hurt, nor any careers ended due to injury. These women
are professionals who know their business, as the LLF knows its business. That combination
has made for countless matches that were not only thrilling for fans to behold, but which did
not require the instant care of a ringside medical physician.
Had there been a series of severe ring injuries, we could understand the need for a discussion
about having a doctor present. But no such injuries have occured in the LLF. It’s almost like
the city telling you that every time you cook on your stove, you have to pay to have a fire
truck outside of your home, just in case.
Mr. Garcia is an honest promoter, and the PGWA has long supported his efforts to present
quality women’s wrestling. We’ve been joined in that support by the many ladies who have
repeatedly traveled to Mexico to work for the LLF again and again over the years. As early as
2001, the LLF worked with the PGWA to import such U.S. and Canadian talent as Leilani Kai,
Candi Divine, Robbie Rage,LuFisto, Sara Stock, April Hunter, Nikki Roxx, Amber O’Neil,
Persephone and many others.
UPDATE
Promoter Garcia decided to challenge the city and forge ahead and attempt to hold the LLF’s
20th Anniversary Show without paying for a physician to be present. That evening, just
before the event was scheduled to begin, The Monterrey Commissioner of Sport and his
deputies arrived and ordered the proceedings halted. The male deputies then forced their
way into the women’s locker rooms, without first having ascertained if they were clothed or
not, and ordered all of the wrestlers out into the ring. There, in front of a packed house,
the Commissioner ordered the show to be shut down and the building vacated.
When the wrestlers protested, several of them, including Diana la Cazadora and Bandida,
were threatened with arrest. All of the wrestlers were told that if they objected to anything
which the Commissioner had said or done, he would have their wrestling licenses suspended.
The Professional Girl Wrestling Association (PGWA) thinks the action from the City of Monterrey
is absurd, and we encourage the LLF and Luciano Garcia to challenge this ruling.
We are certain the LLF will have the support of their fans if they do stand up to this ludicrous demand.
January 1st, 2022
‘MONTERREY CITY OFFICIAL TRIES TO SHUT DOWN THE LLF’
We have just been made aware of some disturbing news from Monterrey, Mexico… the
Commissioner of Sports in the City of Monterrey is trying to arbitrarily shut down the
LLF wrestling promotion!
As wrestling fans around the world know, Lucha Libre Femenil (LLF) is a premier showcase
for some of the very best women’s wrestling in all of Mexico, and has for twenty years been
an organization which the people of Monterrey have taken great pride in.
With Monterrey facing so many of the problems which major metropolitan areas the world
over share, not least of which are the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as rampant crime, it
baffles us that a city official would focus his time and efforts on attacking a single pro
wrestling promotion. His demand is that the LLF must have a licensed physician at ringside
at all times. What’s curious is that we are not aware that any other promotion in Monterrey
is yet being made to do likewise.
The LLF has always had medical personnel available for their live events. But the expense
of hiring a medical doctor to be present, as opposed to EMTs, is simply too cost prohibitive
for any independent wrestling promotion in Mexico.
Without any advance warning, the Sports Commissioner arrived at the LLF Arena to inform
the promoter, Luciano Garcia, that unless he immediately hired a full-time medical doctor,
the city would not let the LLF’s 20th Anniversary Event, scheduled for just days later, to
be held. The Commissioner was unwilling to discuss any alternatives to his demand, nor
was he willing to delay implementing it until after the live event. Formal requests to have
the issue reconsidered by his office have been summarily rejected.
Professional wrestling, particularly in Mexico, can be tough to the point of brutal. But the
LLF has always had a reputation for offering the safest conditions possible. If they hadn’t,
they never would have drawn so many headline female stars from the United States, Canada
and even Japan to fight in their ring.
And words can be backed by facts: There has never been a single serious injury in an LLF
match throughout the organization’s entire history. Bumps, bruises and, yes, even blood…
but no one has ever been severely hurt, nor any careers ended due to injury. These women
are professionals who know their business, as the LLF knows its business. That combination
has made for countless matches that were not only thrilling for fans to behold, but which did
not require the instant care of a ringside medical physician.
Had there been a series of severe ring injuries, we could understand the need for a discussion
about having a doctor present. But no such injuries have occured in the LLF. It’s almost like
the city telling you that every time you cook on your stove, you have to pay to have a fire
truck outside of your home, just in case.
Mr. Garcia is an honest promoter, and the PGWA has long supported his efforts to present
quality women’s wrestling. We’ve been joined in that support by the many ladies who have
repeatedly traveled to Mexico to work for the LLF again and again over the years. As early as
2001, the LLF worked with the PGWA to import such U.S. and Canadian talent as Leilani Kai,
Candi Divine, Robbie Rage,LuFisto, Sara Stock, April Hunter, Nikki Roxx, Amber O’Neil,
Persephone and many others.
UPDATE
Promoter Garcia decided to challenge the city and forge ahead and attempt to hold the LLF’s
20th Anniversary Show without paying for a physician to be present. That evening, just
before the event was scheduled to begin, The Monterrey Commissioner of Sport and his
deputies arrived and ordered the proceedings halted. The male deputies then forced their
way into the women’s locker rooms, without first having ascertained if they were clothed or
not, and ordered all of the wrestlers out into the ring. There, in front of a packed house,
the Commissioner ordered the show to be shut down and the building vacated.
When the wrestlers protested, several of them, including Diana la Cazadora and Bandida,
were threatened with arrest. All of the wrestlers were told that if they objected to anything
which the Commissioner had said or done, he would have their wrestling licenses suspended.
The Professional Girl Wrestling Association (PGWA) thinks the action from the City of Monterrey
is absurd, and we encourage the LLF and Luciano Garcia to challenge this ruling.
We are certain the LLF will have the support of their fans if they do stand up to this ludicrous demand.
