During a big fight at the "Neri Santos" arena in Ciudad Juárez, Estrella Diabólica throws Baby Star through the air. Lucha libre requires extreme physical fitness and the fighters have a tight training schedule. Whoever competes here as a Luchadora has made it to the top of the wrestling scene. 8,000 spectators cheer, at the ringside Sayuri waits for her duel.

Baby Star does her daughter's make-up together with Sayuri. She is not yet allowed to fight herself, but is allowed to accompany her mother into the ring at the beginning.

Baby Star is thrown out of the ring during the fight in “Neri Santos” arena and hits the hard floor. She takes a breath - then she will jump back into the ring. The boundaries between show and seriousness are fluid in Lucha Libre; it is often not clear whether a fighter is just simulating or really injured.

Baby Star poses for a portrait with her mother and daughter after a press conference at the Municipal Sports Institute. She is the current female champion of Ciudad Juárez, the belt over her shoulder symbolizing the award. Her father was also a luchador, the mother supports her career and her daughter Atziry stands at the edge of the ring during every fight, holding her towel and cheering her on.

Sayuri poses on her grandmother's bed. The connection to her is close and the whole home is an important part of Sayuri's life. Leaving the house is considered dangerous for young women. The fact that Sayuri is even allowed to be out in the evenings for training and fights is a social exception. Sayuri likes the life between school days and big fights, but later she would like to study agricultural sciences.

At 15 years old, Sayuri is the youngest wrestler in Ciudad Juárez. The mask allows her to have a double life; her classmates have no idea that she is fighting in front of 8,000 spectators on the weekend.

Lucha Libre is an event for the whole family in Mexico. In addition to the fighters, the spectators also take the fights very seriously. They cheer on their favorites and provoke the opposing fighters.

Felina (l), Miss Kath and Espanta Pájaros (right, dressed as a monster) fight against the trans fighter Johny Johny (on the floor) and his team in the small Arena Morales. In Mexico, alongside female and male fighters, trans fighters are also listed as an official third category/gender and have their own designation: they are called “exoticos”. Fights often take place in private backyards with friends and neighbors as guests.

Celeste, Miss Kath, Sayuri (left to right) in their battle outfits. These are made by a tailor especially for the fights.

Universis poses for a portrait in front of her house, in the background you can see the border bridge to the USA. The deserted city center at the border is considered the most dangerous part of Juárez. Many houses have fallen into disrepair, local residents left their homes during the drug war a few years ago and have never returned. Refugees set up a camp right next to Universis’ home while they are waiting for asylum. When she leaves the house for a fight with her mask on, they wave enthusiastically at her and wish her good luck. Universis has made it - she is a heroine.

Together with her husband, Universis is raising her daughter and the son of her drug-addicted aunt. The wrestler grew up in the most dangerous part of the city, surrounded by violence and death. Her powerlessness as a young girl made her angry. She began training in boxing and Lucha libre and roamed the streets with gangs. When she was thrown out of school, the ring was her only way out of this vicious circle. Today she has graduated from school, studies and wants to give her children a better life.

Sayuri's family is so proud of the young fighter that they built their own little arena in their backyard. Her nieces are playing in the ring everyday, mother and grandmother are sitting in the background. One day they want to fight like Sayuri. For many young girls, Luchadoras embody the image of an emancipated woman.

Sayuri poses for a family portrait with her grandmother, uncle, aunt, mother and cousins. At 15, she is the youngest Luchadora and star of the arena that her proud parents recently built in the backyard of the family home (pictured right). The fact that a 15-year-old gets into the ring against adults hardly bothers anyone in Ciudad Juárez.

Blood and glitter

Ciudad Juárez is one of the most dangerous cities in the world, notorious for violence, drug crime and one of the highest rates of femicides worldwide. When women hit the headlines, it is usually as victims of violent crime. Or, in a few cases, because they are in the ring as a Luchadora. Because here, of all places, a small group of female fighters gained respect through wrestling.

Lucha libre - Mexican wrestling - is a popular culture and lower class sport. It often seems as if the stars are just pretending to beat each other up, but in reality the boundaries between show, acrobatics and hard fighting are blurred. Every now and then fights even end in death.

Just 15 women fight in Juárez among around 200 fighters. In shiny lace-up boots, scantily dressed in glittering sequin costumes, the Luchadoras show no mercy for each other in the ring. But their fight is much more than a weekend event. They fight for respect and equality in this city that exploits and devours women. They live a radically different image of women and, following their example, a new generation of young girls strives to step into the spotlight of society.

Blood and glitter

More stories by Jana Margarete Schuler