By Carlos del Amo

MADRID -- Wrestling is part of the culture and day to day life in Mexico, where the athletes - including El Hijo del Santo and Blue Demon Jr. - are true national heroes and icons of the public imagination and are very visible in society, and now many of those champs are in Madrid to give a demonstration of their talents.

El Hijo del Santo, Blue Demon Jr., Casandro, El solitario, Corazon de barrio, Huracan Ramirez and Solar are some of the wrestlers who this coming weekend will climb into the ring set up at Madrid's Circo Price to give a demonstration of "The mythic world of the masked Mexicans."

Freestyle wrestling is "a sport, but also a show," El Hijo del Santo told Efe, adding that "it's not only the battle between wrestlers, but it has its artistic part and clear philosophy to it, the confrontation between good and evil in a ring, sometimes the good guy wins and other times the bad guy, using his evil arts."

El Hijo del Santo is the heir to one of the myths and creators of this sport, which demands "enormous physical preparation" and that the athlete "never forget his commitment to social work." That's why the masked faces of the wrestlers are inextricably linked to beneficial programs of all types to help society.

There are many versions about the birth of freestyle wrestling, but the most accepted one is that it arose in 1929 when Gustavo Lutteroth went to a bout in Texas and decided to adapt it to Mexico, establishing in 1933 the Mexican Freestyle Wrestling Company.

A number of foreigners joined the enterprise, including American Bobby Sampson and Ireland's Cyclone Mackay, but soon names like El Santo and Gory Guerrero popped up among the ranks of the wrestlers.

El Hijo del Santo says that while very much a spectacle, Mexican wrestling differs from the U.S. variety.

"We're more fearsome and real wrestlers, but we don't speak so much with the microphone in our hands, although of course we go around with beautiful girls and mariachis," he said.

"Everything in freestyle wrestling is real, we really give the and receive the blows, but we know where to hit so we don't hurt our opponent. The idea is to offer a battle but without spilling any blood."

There are two types of wrestlers: the technician, who "plays by the rules, plays clean and represents good," and the rough guy, who "gets around the rules and is a cheater."

El Hijo del Santo is one of "the good guys."

If there's anything that typifies Mexican wrestling it is the masks the athletes wear, a legacy of the Aztec characters representing wolves or jaguars, and those images are the public personas of the fighters.

El Hijo del Santo and his silver mask are "national icons" in Mexico, just like "Superman is in the United States," and although the Mexican "doesn't fly, he has the advantage that he's made of flesh and bone."

He took over in the ring in 1982 for his father, who had had a lengthy wrestling career, "taking on the double responsibility" of supporting himself and making himself into "a myth."

El Santo was the "top idol" of freestyle wrestling for more than 40 years, between 1942 and 1984, although he retired in 1982. He was also a movie star, who made 59 films and was also a comic book hero.

His son has also starred in several films and this week he will present his own comic book at Expocomic 2008: 11th International Comic Show in Madrid, which will be held from Thursday through Sunday.

Nobody knows who El Santo and El Hijo del Santo really are. In Mexico, there is no Superman with his Clark Kent - the Mexican wrestlers live a double life, that of the public masked character and the unknown regular person behind that persona.

"For example, when my father died, he was buried with his mask and nobody knew what his real face looked like," said El Hijo. EFE