Lucha libre wrestlers in Mexico have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, throwing almost everyone out of work as wrestling arenas were closed.

The death toll among wrestlers has also risen dramatically because of the COVID-19. Thus, the masked wrestlers have taken on a different fight now, and that is containing the deadly virus.

Famous lucha libre wrestlers went to the Central de Abasto market on Wednesday to urge people to wear masks to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Reuters noted that the Mexican wrestlers made the largest wholesale market in Latin America as their stage. But this time, not to take their fellow wrestlers as their opponents.

They sprayed disinfectant to those who resisted. 

The Central de Abasto market stretched across an area equivalent to around 327 soccer pitches. It attracts about half a million people daily, making it a hot spot for COVID-19 infections.

In Mexico alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) recorded around 2,137,884 COVID-19 cases with 191,789 deaths.

RELATED ARTICLE: Mexican Wrestlers Make Lucha Libre-Inspired Face Masks to Help Combat COVID-19

Lucha Libre Wrestlers

Before the pandemic, the lucha libre wrestlers take on arenas with a cheer from their fans. But this time, the group of wrestlers, who wore their traditional outfits or costumes, went to the market to chant "put on a mask." The wrestlers targeted the market's buyers and sellers as they also chanted, "Be responsible!"

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the global economy and financial markets. Some traditions and cultural practices in Mexico are also affected by the pandemic, like the lucha libre wrestling. 

Arenas that would usually draw thousands of spectators to watch the lucha libre fighters have stayed close for almost a year because of the pandemic. 

Lucha libre means free fight. The way wrestlers fight in the arena is a factor in contracting COVID-19 since physical contact heightens the risk of getting the virus.

According to Reuters, most Mexicans practice wearing their masks. But markets have been one of the biggest challenges for officials as they try to keep food supplies open while containing the coronavirus' spread.

A wrestler, who performs under the name Ciclon Ramirez Junior, told Reuters that the campaign is for people to know that the fight against the virus is not over, so they need to keep wearing masks and sanitizing their hands.

Lucha Libre Wrestlers Amid Pandemic

Most of the lucha libre wrestlers have already changed their careers in the course of the pandemic. According to Los Angeles Times, many lucha libre wrestlers adapted to the pandemic by becoming a street food vendor like Ultímo Guerrero, one of the country's wrestling superstars, who now flips hamburgers on a stand outside his house.

NPR also cited Hijo del Soberano, another wrestler in the country, who sew costumes and masks similar to what lucha libre wrestlers wear.

Collectors reportedly pay as much as $200 for these items, which he makes together with his wife. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, their business has shifted to sewing surgical typed masks.

READ MORE: Luchadoras and Their Stories of Success

WATCH: Ex-Mexican Wrestler Turns Wrestling Masks Into Protective Masks - From AFP News Agency