Ruben Zamora

Ruben Zamora has established himself as the preeminent “go to guy” for lucha libre in the United States. Growing up a boy of Hispanic origin, living in both San Diego and East Los Angeles, Ruben was always mesmerized by both American pro wrestling and Mexican lucha libre. In Los Angeles, he would see matches at the famed Olympic Auditorium and just south of the border he would roam the aisles of the legendary Auditorio de Tijuana. Whether it was the cultural bond, or just the more flashy costumes, in-ring style, or the other elements unique to lucha which attracted Ruben it was unclear. What was clear was that it was this version of the sport to which he would dedicate his career.

In 2002, Ruben headed to Tijuana to train as a pro wrestler at the world famous Rey Misterio Gym, the same gym that was responsible for creating most of the luchadors who took Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling by storm in the mid-90s. Head trainer and patriarch of the Misterio wrestling dynasty, Rey, Sr., immediately recognized not only Ruben’s in ring sensibilities, but his keen business sense and professionalism as well. It was hard for luchadors to find Americans they trusted to handle their business, even those of Hispanic origin.

Soon after he began training, Ruben was acting as the official US booking agent for Rey Misterio, Sr. and Psicossis (now known as Nicho El Milionario in Mexico’s AAA Lucha Libre promotion after successful US runs in ECW, WCW, and the WWE).

In 2003, Ruben and Misterio, Sr., formed Luchamania International and began promoting live wrestling events in Southern California and Tijuana. Ruben became a jack-of-all-trades writing, promoting, and running the physical production of the live events. In 2004, Ruben started a second promotion, Viva La Lucha. Without selling a single sponsorship or partnering with any media outlets, Ruben’s one-man promotion company would draw over 1,000 fans to several events in the San Diego area. Featuring some of the biggest names in lucha, including Konnan, Blue Demon, Dr. Wagner, Felino, Abismo Negro, Villano III, Juventud Guerrera, Blue Panther, Ruben became one of the few promoters in the world able to work with both CMLL and AAA talent, as politics generally prevented stars from the two biggest promotions in Mexico from appearing on the same shows.

It was also in 2004 that Ruben began representing media libraries from Mexico, brokering deals with US based distribution companies to release content on DVD. As a result, in the past 5 years, three volumes of the Desperados Del Ring series and Before They Were Stars: Rey Misterio, Jr have been released at mass retail including Best Buy, WalMart, FYE, Suncoast, Frys Electronics, and the former Tower Records and Warehouse chains.

It was not long before US based wrestling promotions started coming to Ruben not only for Rey Misterio, Sr. and Psicossis, but for other luchadors as well. In 2005, Ruben began booking international talent for Detroit’s Revolucha wrestling promotion. In 2007 he also secured them worldwide DVD distribution through Big Vision Entertainment. Big Vision, one of the world’s leading producers and distributors of special interest home entertainment, had established themselves as the world’s largest distributor of pro wrestling content second only to the WWE, and Ruben had established himself as Big Vision’s exclusive consultant for lucha libre related content.

Soon, Ruben’s relationship with Big Vision would expand. In 2007, Big Vision reached a deal with TV network G4 to produce a pilot for a Mexican wrestling show, and they turned to Ruben to coordinate the talent and co-write the show. Unfortunately, even before the pilot was turned in to the network, word came down from the network heads that no wrestling or mixed martial arts programming would be picked up by the network. However, the reviews of the pilot have been tremendous, and in Fall 2009, Trifecta Entertainment, syndicators of American Idol Rewind, The Hills, Cold Case Files, and the UFC, approached Big Vision for distribution rights to the series now expected to debut in syndication throughout the US in Fall 2010.

In 2005, Ruben launched Masked Republic. At the time the company only had one line of business, creating high-quality gear (costumes) for professional wrestlers. With production headed by Angelica Jayer, who has nearly 2 decades of both wrestling and traditional seamstress experience, from masks to singlets, tights to capes, Masked Republic designs and hand stitches the ring attire now worn on TV by over a dozen stars. And, as word traveled about the company’s design, style, and quality, Masked Republic began receiving requests for gear from all corners of the globe.

It was also around this time that Ruben received a call from filmmaker Jared Hess. Hess was working on a new feature with Jack Black called Nacho Libre and he was in need of a ring, luchadors, and a place to train the film’s star. Ruben was able to provide it all.

In 2006, Ruben was named President of Latin American Relations for the National Wrestling Alliance, the oldest and most prestigious pro wrestling organization in the world. It was from the NWA that the WWF, WCW, and TNA were formed. As President, Ruben would book luchadors to headline the NWA’s US arena shows and handled all contract negotiations, travel arrangements, and Spanish language promotions for each event. In just two short years, the NWA, headlined by Ruben’s luchadors, would sell over $1 Million dollars in “sold shows” to arenas and promoters throughout the US. He would also step in as the ring announcer for shows when there wasn’t a qualified local available.

In 2007, Ruben coordinated talent and acted as a producer for the Revolcion Xtreme Lucha Libre wrestling mini-series which filmed at the University of Guadalajara and aired on the city’s Televisa station.

In 2008, Ruben would oversee the establishment of NWA Mexico with lucha legend and current NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Blue Demon, Jr. Based in Mexico City, NWA Mexico has quickly established itself as one of the premiere independent promotions in the country. This year, the promotion was honored by being asked to promote an event at the International Sports Convention held at Centro Banamex Convention Center featuring top athletes from around the world including Magic Johnson, boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, and others.

In 2009, Ruben decided to bring all of his various operations under the Masked Republic banner with one unified mission: to create an integrated live event, merchandising, and media organization uniquely centered in the emerging growth market of lucha libre (Mexican wrestling) in the United States. It is his past and present, including the fact that he has the unique distinction of being respected and trusted by the luchadors themselves, coupled with the unparalleled advisory board which has been formed, that will drive Masked Republic to not only become the first integrated lucha based entertainment company in the Unite States, but remain the preeminent one throughout the next decade and beyond.