For the last two years I’ve been keeping a spreadsheet with every match I wrestle. Here’s a brief summary of 2017 in numbers: 27 matches. 7 different promotions. 2 countries. 2 belts won. 1 belt currently retained. Not really one for numbers? Read on for the high points of my year.

Belts, belts, belts

If you haven’t been paying attention, 2017 brought an influx of belts to LLV. In addition to the preexisting Grand Championship belt, there are now Lightweight, Heavyweight, and Tag Team Championship belts. In April, I had the extreme honor of becoming the first-ever competitor to hold the LLV Lightweight Championship. It was a grueling match– Sonico managed to weasel his way into the fray last minute, which made it so I had to defeat not one, but two other luchadors to claim the title. Apparently he wasn’t done with me after that, because he somehow managed to sang that title for himself in August.

But… That defeat didn’t stop me from aiming my sights higher. The highest, in fact. In November I went up against Ave Rex, the then two-time LLV Grand Champ, in a 2 out of 3 falls match for his title. That was hands down the most challenging match of my lucha libre career so far. Imagine wrestling 3 separate matches… in a row. That’s how a ⅔ falls match feels. No rest time. No time to gather your wits. And I’m proud and humbled to say that I came out on top. 2017 brought the reign of the first luchadora in LLV history to hold the Grand Championship.    

The 5 previous LLV Grand Champions.

And the new…!

Let’s see how long that lasts. There are already folks nipping at my heels for a shot at the title.

Sewing Adventures

Now for something completely different!

Some may recall my last blog-recorded attempts at working with Lycra… Let’s just say I’ve made some progress in the two years since then. I was able to observe mascarero Miguel Ruiz at work again when I visited Mexico City in August of 2016, and got back into the gear sewing game later that year with an attempt at Wonder Woman gear for the LLV Halloween show. It was perfectly serviceable, but still not quite up to code. Finally, after a few non-lucha related sewing breakthroughs, I revisited that concept to create my 2017 Halloween Wonder Woman gear.

2016 vs. 2017

2017 Wonder Woman gear

Around that time I also designed and made custom gear for my friends Naddie Russum, Gringo Loco, & Guerrero de Neón, as well as a new set of gear for myself that I’ll be debuting at the January LLV show.

With this series of successes (and lots of tinkering) I started to get serious about taking the leap and starting my own gear-making business. I’m pleased to announce that I rung in 2018 with the launch of my online sewing portfolio! I’ve opened up a limited number of spots for local commissions of custom lucha libre & pro wrestling gear, as well as alterations and repair (and a side-gig of custom underpants for both dudes and ladies, if you won’t happen to be hitting the ring). If you’re searching for a new gear person, maybe look my way.  

Final Notes

On account of real-world job-having (yeah, I know, ew), I perhaps didn’t get to wrestle as often or train as much as I wanted last year. But 2017 was by no means a letdown. As of this past November I have been wrestling for 6 years, and I can say with confidence that my experiences in the realm of lucha libre have created the most rewarding and enjoyable memories of that timeframe. I’ve got high hopes for 2018: I’m trying to improve my real-world work/ life balance to prioritize lucha and other creative endeavors that have been put on the back burner in recent months. Fingers crossed I’ll make another trip to Mexico City. I’ll do my damndest to put more here on ye olde blog. Other than that, who knows?    

Onward into 2018!