The history of the lucha mask goes back hundreds of years.
“The mask is the most important accessory in lucha libre because the mask makes a warrior,” according Magno, a luchador for over 20 years.
Luchadores place such a premium on their in-ring personas that they refuse to reveal their identities whenever they appear at an event. The mask draws from Mexican history in which Mayans and Aztecs warriors would complete for superiority.
“They used to paint their faces to symbolize the warrior because they used to fight against each other to become the god, to become the top one,” according to Magno.