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Wrestling masks are most widely used in the Mexican/Latin lucha libre style of wrestling. A wrestler's mask is usually related to a wrestler's persona (for example, a wrestler known as 'The Panda' might wear a mask with a panda's facial markings). Often, wrestlers will put their masks on the line against other wrestlers' masks, titles or an opponent's hair.
United States
While in Japan and Mexico masks are a sign of tradition, they are generally considered by many in the United States to be a deathblow to a wrestler's character. Very few masked wrestlers have succeeded in becoming popular (with exceptions such as Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods, Masked Superstar, Mick Foley, Kane, Abyss, and Rey Mysterio) and generally are considered as jobbers. The belief is that fans want to see a face and will only get behind a wrestler that shows it.
Japan
- First masked foreigner to become a star in Japan: The Destroyer Dick Beyers (United States), 1960s
- First masked Luchador to become a star in Japan: Mil Máscaras, 1970s
- First Japanese to regularly use a mask: Mach Hayato
- First Japanese to become a superstar with a mask: Tiger Mask Satoru Sayama.
In Japan, most masked wrestlers can be found in the junior heavyweight divisions, as they prefer to follow the pattern set by Mascaras and Sayama of being a masked wrestler who can do high-flying moves in the ring.
Current masked wrestlers stars in Japan: Black Strong Machine (Junji Hirata), Jushin Liger, El Samurai, Tiger Mask IV, Ultimo Dragon, The Great Sasuke.
"Wrestling mask"