BY KAREN BOSSICK

It's titled "la lucha libre," meaning "freestyle wrestling" or "free fight."

It's a style of professional wrestling unique to Mexico with colorful masks acknowledging the Aztecs, rapid sequences of maneuvers and some high-flying moves, as well. And it's coming to Hailey on Saturday night.

Mexican Wrestling Night will bring several professional wrestlers to Wood River High School gymnasium at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 16.

Wrestlers will include Tinieblas Jr. Alusne versus Electroshock; Pirata Morgan versus Hijo del Solitario and Mascara Sagrada versus Pirata Morgan.

Their show will be augmented by a Mexican halftime show.

This type of wrestling became popular in Mexico in the early 20th century, but its roots date back to 1863 during the French intervention in Mexico. Traditionally, the luchadors, as they are known, have come from extended wrestling families. In some cases, the masks play a pivotal role with the losers having to permanently remove their masks.

The rules are similar to American rules, but Mexican wrestlers tend to be more agile, performing a lot of high-flying attacks. And there's more pageantry involved.

The longtime star of Mexican wrestling is El Santo, a silver-masked wrestler who made his debut winning an eight-man battle royal in 1942. He went on to wrestle for five decades during which he became a symbol of justice for the common man.

He was never unmasked and, when he  passed away in 1984, he was buried wearing his trademark silver mascara.

Tickets to Saturday's performance are $20 for children, $50 for adults and $100 for VIPs, with VIPs getting a commemorative mask in addition to other benefits.

Tickets are available at Atkinsons' Market in Hailey. Questions? Call Julio at 208-309-6561 or Romero at 208-209-5902.