TUESDAY January 26, 2021: 'Lucha Libre Lives' from ZUMA Press award winning photographer Michael Francis McElroy: One of Mexico's cultural traditions has been hit as hard by the coronavirus pandemic, ''lucha libre'' wrestling. The death toll for wrestlers has risen significantly recently and wrestling arenas are closed, putting practically everyone out of work. One group of young wrestlers, called the Olivares Dynasty, who live in Mexico City's Xochimilco borough, have put up an makeshift training ring on one of the areas famous ''floating gardens.'' These wrestlers now make their living selling flowers that they grow on their families artificial island, known as a 'chinampas.' Welcome to 'Lucha Libre Lives.'
© zReportage.com Story of the Week #771: TUESDAY January 26, 2021: 'Lucha Libre Lives' from ZUMA Press award winning photographer Michael Francis McElroy: One of Mexico's cultural traditions has been hit as hard by the coronavirus pandemic, ''lucha libre'' wrestling. The death toll for wrestlers has risen significantly recently and wrestling arenas are closed, putting practically everyone out of work. One group of young wrestlers, called the Olivares Dynasty, who live in Mexico City's Xochimilco borough, have put up an makeshift training ring on one of the areas famous ''floating gardens.'' These wrestlers now make their living selling flowers that they grow on their families artificial island, known as a 'chinampas.' Welcome to 'Lucha Libre Lives.'

Luchadores wrestler GRAN FELIPE JR wearing his mask. The three Olivares brothers, known as 'Olivares Dynasty' Ciclonic, Mister Jerry and Gran Felipe Jr grew up watching their late father luchadores Gran Felipe wrestle at Xocimilco Arena in Mexico City. The Brothers became Luchadores in their teens and have been carrying on the Olivares name ever since but all that came to a stand still when the coronavirus pandemic closed down arenas, putting the luchadores in the unemployment line.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Wearing his wrestling mask, CICLONICO poses with his newborn son FILIPE JR at the family home.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Luchadores MISTER JERRY poses on a flat bottomed wooden boat known locally as a 'trajineras' in the canals of Xochimilco. The name Xochimilco means ''where the flowers grow.'' Built on the site of a pre-Columbian town, Xochimilco is famous for its chinampas or 'floating gardens'.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic means they cannot perform in the arena, the brothers continue to train with weights and 'body weights' at their home in Xochimilco. The brothers have continued to train and devise a new plan for fans to see live streamed exhibitions until restrictions on live sports are lifted.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

With their signature lucha libra wrestling leaping moves, brothers GRAN FILIPE JR and CICLONICO train at their families chinampas in the Xochimilco Canals.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

With their signature lucha libra wrestling leaping moves, brothers GRAN FILIPE JR and CICLONICO train at their families chinampas in the Xochimilco Canals.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Luchadores GRAN FILIPE JR rests on the ground outside the ring after landing hard during training with his brother at the family 'chinampas' or floating garden.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Toy plastic Lucha Libre action figures on the street in Xochimilco.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Luchadores wrestler MISTER JERRY wearing his mask at the family home.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

GRAN FILIPE Jr unloads plants from the family's trajineras which will be sold at the nearby market.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Olivares brother CICLONICO, helps his mother in the market where they sell the plants they grow at the family chinampas in the Xochimilco canals. Chinampa is an agricultural technique technique which relies on small, rectangular areas of fertile arable land to grow crops and plants on the shallow lake beds in the Valley of Mexico.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Wearing his wrestling mask, CICLONICO buys vegetables at his aunts produce stand at the local market.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Luchadores GRAN FILIPE and MISTER JERRY mess around while waiting on the family trajineras.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

A small shrine to the three Olivares brothers late father El Gran Filipe at their home on Xochimilco.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

GRAN FILIPE JR kneels and prays at a alter in their Xochimilco barrio.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Luchadores MISTER JERRY and GRAN FILIPE JR enjoy a beer on a Trajineras boat on the famous canals of Xochimilco.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Luchadore GRAN FILIPE JR as mariachis play traditional music on the canals of Xochimilco.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Luchadores wrestler CICLONICO wearing his mask at the family home.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

Luchadore CICLONICO poses on the rooftop with one of the trophies he's won during his wrestling career.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire

GRAN FILIPE JR waits waits on the calm waters of the canal for a boat loaded with plants to arrive from the nearby family chinampas.
© Michael McElroy/ZUMA Wire