Lucha Libre in Japan: When High-Flying Action Meets Hard-Hitting Intensity

While lucha libre's roots are in Mexico, its athletic and energetic style has found a unique and exciting home within the diverse landscape of Japanese professional wrestling, known as puroresu. Japanese promotions have not simply replicated the Mexican style; they've absorbed, adapted, and integrated it, creating a distinct fusion that blends the high-flying moves and quick pins of lucha libre with the puroresu style of throws, strong strikes, and submissions. This cross-cultural combination has resulted in some of the most compelling and innovative matches in wrestling history.

The most immediately recognizable influence of lucha libre in Japan is the emphasis on high-flying maneuvers. Japanese wrestlers, known for their athleticism and willingness to push the boundaries of physical performance, readily embraced the aerial moves that are trademarks of lucha libre, such as moonsaults and frog splashes. They became increasingly common in Japanese rings, adding a new dimension of excitement and visual display to matches. This addition of aerial artistry brought a faster pace and more energy to Japanese wrestling, especially in matches between junior heavyweight wrestlers.

However, it's important to understand that lucha libre in Japan is not a duplicate of lucha libre in Mexico. Japanese wrestlers haven't just imported the moves; they've modified them within the foundation of puroresu. While the high-flying action is present, the puroresu style of psychology is displayed from the opening bell to the end of the match. Ring presence and quick-thinking is included in matches, and every move that is executed is done for a reason.

One of the most significant examples of this fusion is the impact of lucha libre on junior heavyweight divisions in promotions such as NJPW, with pioneers of the lucha libre style like The Great Sasuke leading the way early in his career. Sasuke learned the style while wrestling in Mexico, immersing himself in the culture and traditions of lucha libre.

Upon returning to Japan, Sasuke introduced audiences to unique moves and dynamic energy that they had never seen before. His moveset included a cartwheel over the top rope suicide ("Sasuke Special") and a high-angle senton bomb ("Senton Atomico"). In 1994 at NJPW's Super J Cup 1st STAGE, Sasuke made an impact during the junior heavyweight tournament, impressing fans and making more people take notice of him. Sasuke defeated former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champions Jushin Thunder Liger and El Samurai during the tournament, making it to the finals where he faced Wild Pegasus.


The Great Sasuke showcased athleticism, high-flying luchador-style action, risk-taking, innovative moves, and a fearless spirit that captivated audiences and redefined the boundaries of Japanese wrestling. At the same time, he helped to popularize the style and paved the way, inspiring generations of high-flying Japanese wrestlers.

Beyond individual wrestlers, entire promotions have embraced the lucha libre atmosphere. For example, Michinoku Pro presents a combination of the traditional Japanese style with the lucha libre style, as many of the matches in Michinoku Pro feature high-flying and fast-paced action. And while most promotions in Japan and other parts of the world utilize a junior heavyweight championship as a midcard championship, Michinoku Pro utilizes its Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship as the top championship in the company, as well as its only currently active singles championship. With the Michinoku Pro roster mainly consisting of junior heavyweights, athleticism is one of the main aspects of matches at a Michinoku Pro event, with the wrestlers performing moves that are best done by junior heavyweights.

For this reason, Michinoku Pro is very popular in Mexico. Also, Michinoku Pro's distinct style is why it's the fitting home of the Fukumen World League, the company's singles tournament that involves masked wrestlers from around the world, including Mexico.

Wrestlers such as Dos Caras, Atlantis, and Caristico are only some of the stars of the Mexican wrestling scene who traveled to Japan over the years to take part in Fukumen World League. Last year's winner of the Fukumen World League tournament was El Pantera Jr., who went on to make additional history in November 2024 by winning the Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship, becoming the second non-Japanese wrestler and the second Mexican-born wrestler to hold the prestigious championship.

Also, in June 2024, a CMLL match took place at a Michinoku Pro event- CMLL is one of the oldest and most prestigious lucha libre companies in the world. The match participants were the longest-reigning CMLL World Women's Champion in history, La Amapola, and then-CMLL-Japan Women's Champion Dark Silueta.

However, even in Michinoku Pro, the influence of puroresu is still very evident. The company's events include powerhouse GAINA, the strong and technical Rasse, stiff striker Manjimaru, the unorthodox OSO11, the well-rounded Rui Hyugaji, submission master Ayumu Gunji, and Yasutaka Oosera, the head trainer in the Michinoku Pro Dojo and a protégé of legend Dick Togo.

The influence of lucha libre in Japan is a powerful testament to the global reach and adaptability of professional wrestling. It's a cross-cultural exchange that has enhanced both styles, creating some of the most compelling and innovative matches and wrestlers in the history of the industry. The blend of high-flying Mexican wrestler moves and Japanese wrestler toughness continues to be a captivating presentation for wrestling fans around the world.