Austin, TX – February 23, 2016 – El Rey Network and South By Southwest (SXSW) Conferences and Festivals  announced today that the popular Lucha Libre wrestling series “Lucha Underground” will be part of this year’s SXAméricas celebration in Austin, Texas featuring both a panel and a live event on Tuesday, March 15th, 2016.  The panel, titled “Importing Lucha Libre: The Creation of El Rey Network’s Lucha Underground”, will focus on how Emmy Award®-winning producer Mark Burnett and El Rey Network Chairman and Founder Robert Rodriguez have successfully imported two of Mexico’s most popular forms of entertainment, lucha libre and the telenovela and combined them to create a new sports franchise taking the world by storm.  And for the first time in its history the character-driven television phenomenon will leave the temple in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles for a live event at the Austin Music Hall in Austin, Texas which will feature more than fifteen of “Lucha Underground’s” high-flying, death defying luchadores.

The creators and stars of “Lucha Underground” will discuss the formation of the gripping new wrestling franchise during the panel featuring wrestling superstar Rey Mysterio Jr., “Lucha Underground” Showrunner and Executive Producer Eric Van Wagenen, “Lucha Underground” owner  Dorian Roldán and El Rey Network Co-founder and “Lucha Underground” Owner Cristina Patwa.  The live event, taking place at the Austin Music Hall at 7:00pm, will bring to Austin all of the fierce lucha libre drama and excitement “Lucha Underground” is known for.  Both events are part of Convergence programming and will be open to all SXSW badge types.