It’s hard to imagine any other holidayspecials that would have Santa Claus body slammed by a buff giant namedSkullcrusher. Skullcrusher was one of the night’s many wrestlers, some of whichwore masks and costumes in the Mexican luchadortradition. Santa was tossing WMSE T-shirts and CDs to the crowd when he was putdown for a long winter’s nap. Later in the show, a giant gingerbread man met asimilar fate.
The Monda Lucha show started with a shortset by rapper Kid Millions. He performed songs off his new album, Recession Proof Rap, while the SuperForce break-dancing crew busted a move in the ring.
In between the mat-thumping bouts,burlesque dancers dressed in festive negligees and garters performed numbersdefinitely on the “naughty” list. After a number featuring Lola Van Ella andher “burlesque army,” a stagehand jumped in the ring and swept out feathersmolted from the burlesque dancers’ boas while The Scarring Party played up onthe stage.
The group’s tinny vocals and accordion,tuba, banjo and drum combo made them sound like the house band for a speakeasy,and they were dressed like Dickensian orphans. The strange combination of KidMillions and The Scarring Party as music guests is a signature of Mondo Lucha’seclectic nature.
The crowd was having a blast as theywolf-whistled the dancers, cheered on the Brewcity Bruisers during theirrematch against the K.G. Beast, and booed bad guys like wrestler Mickey McCoy,who called the audience “beer-drinking Milwaukeeidiots.”
The crowd also got a surprise when apharaoh-themed luchador was tossedinto the audience. It was moments like that which made Mondo Lucha an unlikelyholiday classic for its devoted fan base.
Photo by Cj Foeckler
