SMC hosts Lucha Libre for Latine Heritage Month

SMC hosts Lucha Libre for Latine Heritage Month SMC hosts Lucha Libre for Latine Heritage Month Arts & EntertainmentArt Oct 14 Written By Paola Carrasco and Diego Carrillo Santa Monica College (SMC) Julyssa Guevara (SMC Basic Needs Case Manager (on left)) and Gladys Preciado (SMC Art Instructor (on right)) introduced the start of the “Culture in the Ring” performed by Lucha Goth Haus. The event was a scheduled event celebrating Latine Heritage Month. Event was in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, October 1, 2026. (Jason Purisima | The Corsair) Santa Monica College (SMC) students in the audience of “Culture in the Ring” performed by Lucha Goth Haus. Professional Wrestler Tito Escondido teases and makes the students laugh and enjoy the moment. The event was hosted by the SMC Student Equity Center. Event was on SMC Main Campus, in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, October 1, 2026. (Jason Purisima | The Corsair) Santa Monica College (SMC) students and SMC staff in the audience watching on the action of “Culture in the Ring” performed by Lucha Goth Haus. Pro Wrestler Tito Escondido (left) has pro wrestler Andres Cabrera (right) locked between his legs. The event was hosted by the SMC Student Equity Center. Event was on SMC Main Campus, in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, October 1, 2026. (Jason Purisima | The Corsair) Santa Monica College (SMC) Gladys Preciado (SMC Art Instructor (on left)) and colleagues pouring aqua fresca for the students. “Culture in the Ring”, the event organized by the SMC Student Equity Center. This was a scheduled event celebrating Latine Heritage Month. Event was in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, October 1, 2026. (Jason Purisima | The Corsair) A Wrestling ring at Santa Monica College (SMC) celebrating Latine Heritage Month, “Culture in the Ring” performed by Lucha Goth Haus. The event was hosted by the SMC Student Equity Center. Event was on SMC Main Campus, in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, October 1, 2026.(Jason Purisima | The Corsair) LUCHA Libre wrestler Carmireli Rodriguez (foreground) strikes a pose in the ring alongside Santa Monica College faculty and staff during a Latine heritage month celebration on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026. Supporting the event are (from to right) Valeria Garcia, Maria Martinez Latino center adelante program leader, staff member Sara Nieves-Lucas, Emily chavez, Julyssa Guevara SMC basic needs case manager, Gladys Preciado SMC Art instructor, and professor Jacqueline Monge from the cosmetology department. (Azael Rios Ramos | The Corsair) Santa Monica College cosmetology department student Wilder Lopez (center, in purple cape) sits ready for a haircut or stling session alongside peers and faculty in the outdoor ring during a campus event on Friday, Oct. 1, 2026. Supporting the event from the cosmetology department are (from left) professor Jacqueline Monge, Arely Romero, Hilary Ocampo, Randy bonilla, Adi Naveen, Marrylin Castellon, and Dana Alvarez. (Azael Rios Ramos | The Corsair) Santa Monica College (SMC) students in the audience of “Culture in the Ring” performed by Lucha Goth Haus. Out of the ring, Pro Wrestler Tito Escondido (right) interacts with students while pro wrestler Andres Cabrera (left) on his knee. The event was hosted by the SMC Student Equity Center. Event was on SMC Main Campus, in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, October 1, 2026. (Jason Purisima | The Corsair) Santa Monica College students smile and enjoy fresh tamales and aguas frescas while watching a live Lucha Libre performance in the main quad on Thursday,Oct. 1, 2026. The cultural campus event brought the students body together on the lawn for an afternoon of traditional food, community connection, and entertainment. (Azael Rios Ramos | The Corsair) Lucha Libre wrestler Tito Escondido (left) and Andrews Cabrera (right, in cowboy hat) playfully "sandwich" a student fan between them during a cultural campus celebration at Santa Monica College on Friday, Oct. 1, 2026. The professional wrestlers brought the high energy, interactive entertainment of Mexican professional wrestling directly to the student body, pausing to pose for a memorable moment with the crowd in the main quad. ( Azael Rios Ramos | The Corsair) Santa Monica College (SMC) students in the audience of “Culture in the Ring” performed by Lucha Goth Haus. Pro Wrestler Tito Escondido (right) standing on the second rope as pro wrestler Andres Cabrera (kneeling side of ring). The event was hosted by the SMC Student Equity Center. Event was on SMC Main Campus, in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, October 1, 2026. (Jason Purisima | The Corsair) LUCHA LIBRE wrestler Andrews Cabrera (left) leaps from the ropes to hit Tito Escondido (right) with a flying forearm smash during a match at Santa Monica College on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. The outdoor ring in the main quad drew a massive crowd of students watching the high flying action up close. (Azael Rios Ramos | The Corsair) LUCHA Libre wresetler Simone Williams points with excitement towarsds the crowd to get students involved in her post - match celebration at Santa Monica College on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. The triumphant moment capped off a high energy performance in the main quad ring, drawing massive cheers as she rallied the audience with her championship belt. (Azael Rios Ramos | The Corsair) On Thursday Oct. 1, the Student Equity Center hosted two Lucha Goth Haus matches to celebrate Latine Heritage Month. The event also included face painting, and tamales with agua frescas. Luche libre is a form of professional wrestling known for its colorful, iconic masks and fast-paced movements. Originating in Mexico, the sport has featured many wrestlers who have made history, including El Santo and Rey Mysterio. Julyssa Guevara, basic needs case manager, and Gladys Preciado, an art history professor, both gave a brief introduction about the history of lucha libre before the fights began. Then, the masked referee entered to start the matches. Maya Gonzales, a first-year SMC student, stumbled upon the event and was eager to participate and watch the match. “I was just walking by and now I’m here. I am going to get my face painted and then watch the match and get tamales,” she said.   Mario Martinez, who started as a DJ at 15,  now represents Lucha Goth Haus. The event marked the group’s first appearance at a school event. “I never once thought it would lead me on to Santa Monica College to host some events. Through different trials and tribulations and the different channels of rivers I came across in my lifetime, it led me here,” Martinez said.  The first match featured two women luchadoras, Simone Williams and Carmireli Rodriguez, or “Carma.” As they entered the quad, the crowd erupted in cheers, with spectators choosing sides and rooting or their favorite wrestler. Williams and Carma began the match by grabbing each other around the neck and pulling each other’s hair. Williams grew up practicing martial arts and was always interested in fighting.  “We love to entertain, being able to come through and do stuff like this is always really fun for us,”  Williams said.  The wrestlers compete multiple times a week, and Williams had just returned from Tampa. “We are traveling everywhere every single week, the stages vary, today it was for the people and a lot of the time it’s for the TV,” she said.  William’s final move sent Carma to the ground, where she remained as the referee counted to three. Williams won the match, and the crowd cheered as both wrestlers left the ring.  The final match was between Bad Dude Tito and Andres “Latino Meat” Cabrera. Both wrestlers drew laughter from the crowd during their entrances. Tito carried his championship belt while dancing, and Cabrera carried the Guatemalan flag while hitting a peck dance. The match began fast, with Tito throwing Cabrera out of the ring and taunting the crowd with a dance after each hit. It looked like Tito appeared ready to strike Cabrera with a chair, but the referee intervened at the last second and took it away. The luchadors then brought the action  into the SMC quad, prompting students get out of their chairs and move out of the way in fear of being hit. After returning to the ring, they wrestlers climbed to the top rope where Tito hit Cabrera with a suplex throw. Once both wrestlers were on their feet, Tito performed an F-5, bringing Cabrera to the ground. Tito went back to the top rope to finish Cabrera with a frog splash, ending the match and retaining his championship in front of SMC Students. After the matches, students had the opportunity to meet all four luchadors: Williams, Rodriguez, Bad Dude Tito and Cabrera. The matches drew an enthusiastic crowd and marked the first professional wrestling event held on SMC’s campus. “I was excited because I love doing this type of show… It is not every day you get to wrestle on site on a college campus. I’m sure you guys don’t get the opportunity to see wrestling right here in the quad. Half of the students don’t even know what is going on while walking to their classes, and seeing a bunch of lucha libre out there. It's exciting!” Cabrera said. Paola CarrascoDiego CarrilloJason PurisimaRuby NovakAzael Rios RamosArts & EntertainmentLatine Heritage Month Paola Carrasco and Diego Carrillo Previous Previous Road to recovery at The Longest Table in the Palisades Next Next The Corsair Fall 2026 - Issue 2