Lucha VaVoom will make love hurt again with return of Valentine’s Day matches
Romance will be in the air on Valentine’s Day weekend in downtown L.A. Wait, that’s not romance, that’s a 300-pound wrestler flying off the top rope and there’s no way he’s landing with a soft love tap either when Lucha VaVoom’s annual holiday-themed Mexican wrestling event returns Feb.11-12.
Dubbed “Amor Impossible” (impossible love), the Valentine’s-themed weekend of Mexican wrestling happens at the Mayan Theatre where professional lucha libre wrestlers will perform death-defying and deadly moves. The weekend will also include burlesque performances and live music.
But as far as the wrestling goes, expect slaps, kicks, body slams, aerial moves, all sorts of choke holds, more slaps and kicks and plenty of trash talk when these luchadores are let loose on the ring.
The lineup will include more than a dozen wrestlers fighting it out each night, including the main event, a double-team co-ed match featuring El Paso resident Magno with Canada-born Taya Valkyrie vs. Tijuana, Mexico native Extreme Tiger and British-born Dama Fina.
But don’t throw all your love behind one team just yet, because you’ll want to get to know these wrestlers before committing to one tag team.
Here are some stats on each wrestler in the main match.
Magno
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 210 pounds
How did you get your name?
“I started wrestling when I was 14, really young. I was in school and was about to make my debut so I got a dictionary and just started looking for a name and just found Magno, which means something magnificent, something big. Which describes me.”
What’s your signature move?
“I do a lot of high-flying off the top rope. But I normally do a corkscrew plancha. That’s when you get on the top rope and you jump toward your opponent but you spin in the air. It just smashes them.”
Why should other wrestlers fear you?
“Because they know who I am. I can hit hard and I never hold back.”
Predictions for the upcoming match?
“It’s going to be a great one, especially since we’re coming back after all these pandemic issues. Everyone is giving their best that night, but hell yeah, I’ve been holding back for so long so I’m going to unleash the beast.”
What’s your ideal romantic Valentine’s night out?
“I’m married and have two kids so I just take my wife to eat and maybe buy her a perfume or something.”
Taya Valkyrie
Height: 5’7”
Weight: “None of your damn business.”
How did you get your name?
“I come from a Norwegian background so Valkyrie being a woman warrior deciding who gets to survive and who gets to die and get to Valhalla, I felt like it was appropriate for my character.”
What’s your signature move?
“My finisher is The Road to Valhalla. Your hands are behind your back, I pick you up all the way up above my head and then I plant you on your face.”
Why should other wrestlers fear you?
“I’m the ‘guera loca’ (crazy white girl) for good reason. I earned that name in Mexico. I have an unexpected amount of skill and when you get in the ring with me you never know who you’re going to see.”
Predictions for the upcoming match?
“With la guera loca in the main event you know I’m going to have my hand raised at the end. I don’t care who Dama Fina is, I don’t care who her partner is, I know I’m coming in there with everything to be victorious at Lucha VaVoom.”
What’s your ideal romantic Valentine’s night out?
“No limitations? Well then my husband has a helicopter waiting for me and we’re going to the airport and then take a private plane to Paris and have dinner under the stars and the rest is up to the imagination.”
Dama Fina
Height: 5’3”
Weight: “You can never ask a lady her weight.”
How did you get your name?
“It’s based on a song by a band named Titan,” she said. “It’s a really amazing song and it’s the song I work out to.”
What’s your signature move?
“The Bai-sting. I basically roll the opponent up and smash them right down in their face.”
Why should other wrestlers fear you?
“I’m a lot smaller than all the other wrestlers, but that’s the thing, they don’t expect me to be as strong and fast as I am. And you know what they say about big people, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Once I get them off their feet, then they’re screwed.”
Predictions for the upcoming match?
“I don’t know if they’re ready for me. All these big guys think they can just throw their weight around but I’m faster, more agile and once they’re off their feet I’m just going to pound them into the ground so I hope they’re ready for that.”
What’s your ideal romantic Valentine’s night out?
“After smashing people’s faces in, I really love to get some good Mexican food.”
Extreme Tiger
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 156 pounds
How did you get your name?
“I love extreme fighting and tigers. It’s an animal I relate to because of its agility and that’s where the name was born,” he said in Spanish.
What’s your signature move?
“I have several submission moves like the Tijuana Lock. I take your left arm and with my right leg I lock your leg and with my right arm I spin and bring you down rolling with me and then I lock you up around your neck to submit you. It’s hard to explain but it’ll choke out your opponent until they pass out or surrender.”
Why should other wrestlers fear you?
“Being short and light helps me, my speed, my accurate hits. I connect hard and fast and that’s what makes me stand out.”
Who’s the best tiger? Extreme Tiger or Tiger Woods?
“We’re each the best in our sport but in a fight, I don’t think he knows contact sports so it would be Extreme Tiger.”
Predictions for the upcoming match?
“Extreme Tiger is going to win, there is no doubt.”
What’s your ideal romantic Valentine’s night out?
“I love romantic music, so a dinner in a nice restaurant listening to romantic music. Of course Extreme Tiger is romantic.”
Lucha VaVoom
When: 7 p.m. Feb. 11-12
Where: The Mayan Theatre, 1038 S. Hill St., Los Angeles.
Tickets: $45-$90
COVID-19 rules: Masks are mandatory inside and attendees must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results from the last 24 hours.
Information: luchavavoom.com