Moisés is helping run Gladiadores Unidos and hopes to increase its prominence among both Hispanics and gringos, whose only familiarity with Mexican wrestling may be from the 2006 Jack Black comedy Nacho Libre.
The artist feels lucha libre has a certain cool underground appeal. Plans are in the works for a countercultural fiesta combining lucha libre, his artwork, Latino rockabilly acts, and lowriders in an event similar to L.A.'s long-running Lucha VaVOOM spectacle.
Children mimic the luchadores of Gladiadores Unidos at the promotion’s warehouse.
Wrestling masks at the AA Lucha Libre show in Mesa.
Jose Luis Guzman and his infuriating sign.
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Moisés latched onto Gladiadores Unidos because he feels it offers "more authentic" Mexican-style wrestling than Piraña.
Because this is a story about wrestling, it's only natural that competing promotions are feuding with each other.
There are sordid details, but the story boils down to former partners and associates of Piraña's forming their own companies. The result? Both Gladiadores Unidos, and a third organization, AA Lucha Libre in Mesa, are competing for the attention of fans.
And each has been successful in its own right.
Gladiadores Unidos started almost 18 months ago and has built a steady turnout of more than 300 at its Friday shows. Meanwhile, AA Lucha Libre averages 150-plus people on Sunday nights outside the Del Sol Reception Hall in Mesa. AA promoter Chris Vargas' events have the celebratory atmosphere of a backyard party, with DJs blasting music between matches.
And Piraña and the other two groups charge only from $2 to $5 per person, far below the blockbuster ticket prices charged by the WWE for WrestleMania.
Predicting that fans won't be able to get enough wrestling this weekend, Vargas plans a show Sunday night at the same time as the pay-per-view spectacular.
Not many of his fans can afford the big WWE event, and "it's not the same thing watching wrestling as home as it is watching it in real life," he says. "We should have a full house."
He may be missing a few local wrestlers, however.
When the WWE rolls into Phoenix, it sometimes taps local talent to be extras on its telecasts or to wrestle in non-televised matches. It's one way that WWE officials evaluate prospects for their training system.
Every year, the WWE signs a few up-and-coming indie wrestlers to developmental contracts for their farm promotion, Florida Championship Wrestling. The recruits receive additional training and could eventually become WWE wrestlers.
For instance, the WWE's Mike Knox worked for Impact Zone Wrestling for years before laboring through the WWE's developmental system and eventually becoming a featured performer on its national TV show Friday Night Smackdown (seen locally on My45).
In addition, national wrestling promotions Ring of Honor and Dragons Gate USA — seen as potential stepping stones between local indie promotions and the WWE — are holding events in the Valley this weekend.
Derrick Neikirk and GQ Gallo, two competitors from newly launched American-style promotion Elite Xtreme Wrestling in the Valley (who participate at AA Lucha Libre shows) will perform in Dragons Gate's events at the Celebrity Theatre this weekend.
Sergio Vega and John Williams claim they'll be backstage at the WWE's Raw event at US Airways Center on Monday in case they're needed. (WWE declined to confirm the claim.) The sports-entertainment giant generally uses wrestlers like them as extras in its multimillion-dollar spectacle. For instance, supernatural WWE superstar The Undertaker usually enters the ring with a cadre of anonymous robed druids.
There's also a small possibility that the two locals could wrestle in "dark matches" (unaired contests featuring indie talent and evaluated by WWE talent scouts).
Getting tapped as an extra hardly guarantees a contract, and a number of wrestlers go through the developmental system every year without making it to the big time.
Regardless, Williams says, he plans on making the most of the opportunity.
"You've literally got just a few hours to get in people's faces and make an impression," he says. "You want to stand out, talk to everybody you can. You've got a shot, and you want to make the best of it."
Vega's even more confident about the WrestleMania events than Williams. If the diminutive-by wrestling-standards Rey Mysterio got noticed in his day, he believes he can get the WWE's attention, too.
"This is obviously a big opportunity," he says. "And everything that's happened before this, has made it possible for me."
