He is just 90 centimeters tall, but he packs muscles, power, and swagger in a little frame: meet Microman, the smallest star in Mexican professional wrestling.
Mexico’s “lucha libre,” a wildly popular mix of sport and entertainment, long featured midgets and dwarves in a deeply demeaning role: they were “mascotas” — a word that can mean both “mascot” and “pet” — for full-size wrestlers.
But a new generation of little people are now rising lucha libre stars in their own right, and dream of one day headlining the main events on their fight cards.
Microman wowed a skeptical crowd at one recent bout in Mexico City, where he and two co-stars, El Gallito and Guapito, took on another team of small-sized wrestlers.
He and his fellow “Micro Stars” were met with a smattering of jeers when they got in the ring.
But Microman silenced them when he climbed onto the top rope — more than three times his height — to execute a high-flying leap straight into the neck of his also small, but larger, rival.
He then flattened another with an acrobatic headstand kick known as the “Zero Gravity” move. The audience went wild in Arena Mexico, the high cathedral of lucha libre.
“Did you see how he held that headstand on top of the ropes? He does it really well,” said one impressed fan, 28-year-old construction worker Juan […]
Read the full story: ‘Not mascots or buffoons’: Mexico’s dwarf wrestlers in the spotlight
Trending News on PVDN
The Connection Between the Jalisco Cartel, Missing Employees at Call Center, 45 Bags of Body Parts, Timeshare Scams, and American Tourists PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - More than a week after the initial disappearance of eight young workers at a call center in Zapopan, Jalisco, the case continues to be shrouded in mystery, leaving families distraught and demanding answers. The Jalisco Prosecutor's Office has made little progress in the investigation, according to the relatives of the missing…
Shocking Case of Animal Abuse in Mexico: Man Throws Dog into Boiling Fry Oil PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A disturbing incident of animal abuse has sent shockwaves throughout Mexico, as a man allegedly threw a dog into a pot of boiling oil, resulting in the animal's tragic death. Authorities have detained the suspect for the assault on the dog and have issued an additional arrest warrant on charges of…
Thrill-Seeking Tourist in Puerto Vallarta is Rescued After Parachute Accident on Los Muertos Beach Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - A woman was rescued after her parachute got entangled in a palm tree on the popular Los Muertos Beach in an incident that highlighted a growing concern over the lack of regulation in tourist activities in Puerto Vallarta. The incident unfolded during one of the city's burgeoning recreational pursuits frequently indulged…
It’s Getting a Little More Expensive for Americans Living in Mexico, Peso Surges to Over Seven-Year High Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - The Mexican peso reached its highest level in more than seven years on Friday, June 2, driven by positive employment data from the United States. The country's stock market also experienced a notable rise as fears of a recession in the US diminished. At the close of trading, the peso was…
Popocatépetl Volcano Exhibits Increased Activity; Yellow Phase 3 Alert Continues PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - In the past 24 hours, heightened activity was recorded from Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano, with an alarming 315 exhalations detected, accompanied by water vapor, other volcanic gases, and ash, according to the Scientific Advisory Committee (CCA) of the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC). Monitoring systems in place around the active stratovolcano also…
Popocatépetl Volcano Activity Continues; June 5, 2023 Monitoring Update PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - In the latest updates from the monitoring systems of the Popocatépetl volcano, 108 exhalations were recorded in the last 24 hours, accompanied by water vapor, volcanic gases, and minor quantities of ash. The monitoring systems also registered 51 minutes of tremor segments, ranging from low to moderate amplitude and high frequency.…
Puerto Vallarta Celebrates 105 Years as Municipality, 55 as City with Grand Anniversary Celebration PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - Puerto Vallarta, one of the nation's favorite tourist destinations, celebrated the 105th anniversary of its elevation to a municipality and its 55th year as a city with a solemn session held in the central courtyard of the city's presidency. Presiding over the commemorative event was Mayor, Professor Luis Alberto Michel Rodríguez,…
45 Bags of Human Remains Discovered in Jalisco PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A chilling discovery of 45 bags filled with human remains in a deep ravine in the El Mirador del Bosque neighborhood of Zapopan has escalated the search for seven missing youths last seen at a local call center. The Jalisco Attorney General's Office confirmed late Wednesday that the gruesome discovery was…
Popocatépetl Volcano Remains Active with 219 Exhalations in 24 hours – June 1, 2023 PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - The Popocatépetl volcano, one of Mexico's most active, has continued to manifest its activity, with monitoring systems detecting 219 exhalations in the past 24 hours. These exhalations were accompanied by water vapor, other volcanic gases, and sometimes minimal amounts of ash, as depicted in recent images and video footage. The tremor…
Buried Body Found Near Home of Man Who Went Missing at Puerto Vallarta Pride PUERTO VALLARTA - This Monday morning, a gruesome discovery of a half-buried body was made on a property located adjacent to the home of Ruben Michel, a young man who has been missing since May 25. Michel, a deaf-mute member of the LGBTQ+ community, vanished following the Vallarta Pride event. Municipal Police were alerted to…