Lucha Libre luchadora battles men for the fans

In this July 1, 2016 photo, Lucha Libre star Delilah drags her opponent Alley Cat back into the ring during a wrestling match in El Paso, Texas. The 5-foot-8 Delilah has wrestled professionally with New Era Wrestling for about 18 months, but her journey into the world of Lucha Libre began when she was 15 years old when she took an interest in the family business.
In this July 1, 2016 photo, Lucha Libre star Delilah drags her opponent Alley Cat back into the ring during a wrestling match in El Paso, Texas. The 5-foot-8 Delilah has wrestled professionally with New Era Wrestling for about 18 months, but her journey into the world of Lucha Libre began when she was 15 years old when she took an interest in the family business.

EL PASO, Texas-Captivating in a fluorescent purple suit, Delilah charms the hearts of many fans.

"When I'm out there wrestling, I feel it was meant for me to be out there," Delilah told the El Paso Times.

Delilah, who asked to be identified by only her stage name, is as tough as they come. The scrappy 18-year-old has had her share of busted lips, sprained ankles and nose bleeds. She's currently nursing a fractured collarbone, but it's not enough to keep her out
of the ring.

The 5-foot-8 Delilah has wrestled professionally with New Era Wrestling for about 18 months, but her journey into the world of Lucha Libre began when she was 15 years old when she took an interest in the family business.

photo

AP

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"Delilah has that certain charisma that no one else has," said Jose Ontiveros, a promoter with New Era Wrestling. "You need to have charisma for people to
accept you."

Inside a warehouse in a remote location in the Northeast, Delilah and a few other wrestlers work toward their pro wrestling
dreams.

"Lucha Libre is an art, like acting, but they do it in the ring," Ontiveros said.

Although each event has a story line, the brawls are extreme.

Delilah missed five events because of the lack of female Lucha Libre wrestlers in the area. Tired of waiting, and eager to get in a scuffle, she began to wrestle
men.

Delilah said her fans now tell her, "Delilah, estas bien fregona por luchar con los hombres, mis respetos'" or "You are tough to wrestle with the men, my respects."

She is a flying acrobat as well. Excitement builds when she climbs the corner post of the ring to deliver "La Plancha," a heroic leap high above the ring to incapacitate her opponent.

"Flying out of the ring pumps me up," Delilah said. "I actually got hit with a chair three events ago; a little girl was crying for me."

Many young girls have become attached to Delilah. To them she is a symbol of strength and courage.

Delilah's identity is a mystery to many.

She attends El Paso Community College and, like any young teenager, she gets invited to Friday night parties, but of course, she has prior engagements.

"These guys have no idea what I do on Friday nights," Delilah said with a big grin. "If only
they knew."

At New Era Wrestling, Delilah is accompanied by her four brothers: Dastan, 13; El Tirano, 20; Rey Lagarto, 23, and El Triton, 27.

"She's been learning a lot since she first put on the mask," Rey Lagarto said. "She first went up against us, the brothers, then she went on to wrestle well-known local talent guys, even out of town. She can take the hits; she wrestles like a guy."

Delilah's presence is expanding outside of El Paso. She wrestled in Irving, Texas, in May.

"Never know the intentions of someone when going out of town," Delilah said. "It can be really risky-be ready for anything."

In August, Delilah will be booked for her second out-of-town performance with the prestigious Old School Wrestling league,
she said.

"Not any wrestler can wrestle there," Delilah said. "They
come to you."

For an event on Aug. 19, New Era Wrestling and the Shriners plan a big bout that will feature former wrestlers from World Wrestling Entertainment.

Delilah has goals to wrestle for WWE NXT, which is the doorstep to the WWE. However, her dream is to join Stardom, which is a popular, yet extremely brutal, wrestling league in Japan, she said.

"Lucha Libre is my life. I talk about it 24/7," Delilah said.

At the age of 3, Delilah recalls boys making her angry and her attempting to throw a riding toy at them as though she were
the Hulk.

"They (the boys) would say, 'Ahi viene la luchadora,'" Delilah said, laughing. "These kids predicted my future."

Delilah, a 2015 Burges graduate, joined wrestling her junior year and went on to place sixth at state at 148 pounds. That same season, she placed fourth at districts
and regionals.

As a senior, she placed first at districts at 148 pounds and second at regionals. She qualified to state but did not place after she was weighed down by injuries suffered during the season.

Delilah originally set out to be a volleyball player, but after a personal dilemma with the program, she left it for wrestling.

"I had no idea about the sport," Delilah said, adding that she placed seventh in her first tournament. "I got so sad; I'm very competitive. Shorter girls were beating me up, but it was motivation to
become better."

Delilah took control of her destiny.

After practice, she trained rigorously: stadium steps, sprints and weights. Senior year, she trained before practice, which gave her an edge as she practiced already at the point of exhaustion.

"I was never satisfied," Delilah said. "It got to the point I was strong enough to train with
the guys."

She's doing the same at New Era Wrestling.

The league has grown from having 12 wrestlers in 2012 to its current roster of 30 wrestlers, which includes in-house and out-of-house talent. In 2012, attendance was 15 people on a good night and now the top attendance mark is 530 people.

"We're New Era Wrestling. We try to put on the best show we can," Delilah said.

The New Era Wrestling group performed during both days at this year's Neon Desert Music Festival.

"People started packing the place. It felt like we were the concert and the people were watching," Delilah said.

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