Lucha Libre ready for crowds

Martin Marin can still vividly remember the longest wrestling match he ever fought. It took place a dozen years ago in Yucatan, Mexico, on a blistering hot day when the Lucha Libre star was on a three-man team.

Marin felt like quitting more than once because of the heat, but since the opposing team didn’t give up, neither did he.

More than one hour later, he still hadn’t.

“The guys kept going and going,” Marin said. “I was thinking, ‘Come on, now, let’s go.’ Nobody wanted to lose.”

Marin’s team finally triumphed after an hour and 22 minutes in the ring, making the match 80 minutes longer than his shortest one ever.

In Lucha Libre, a no-holds-barred style of Mexican wrestling, nothing is predictable — which is why, when Marin brought his team to the Orange County Fair this year, he included 24 members to make sure he didn’t run out.

Last year, Lucha Libre made one of the most splashing debuts ever at the fair, sparked by the popularity of the Jack Black comedy “Nacho Libre.”

Fair officials expect a solid turnout for Saturday and Sunday evenings. The O.C. Register Arena, where the matches are taking place, has 800 more seats than it did a year ago.

“We anticipate a full house tonight, definitely,” said spokesman Jeff Nelson. “It’s truly a very popular show, and it was a breakout hit last year. For a first-time event, it performed exceedingly well.”

Marin, who lives in Huntington Beach, trained as a wrestler in Mexico City in the late 1980s. His company, World Power Wrestling, has performed in the United States and Mexico, while Marin himself has wrestled in Japan and other countries.

Going into Saturday’s show, he said injuries might sideline him for the night — but he still didn’t rule out slipping through the ropes.

“I don’t want them to have all the fun,” he said.

To see a photo gallery of the OC Fair, click here.

TO DO:

TEARS FOR FEARS

There were few choruses more stirring in the 1980s than the refrain from “Shout,” the signature song of this English pop duo: “Shout, shout/Let it all out/These are the things I can do without.’ ” The band, consisting of Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal, also scored with “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and “Head Over Heels.” They’ll take the stage tonight along with Gary Jules at the Pacific Amphitheatre. The show starts at 7 p.m., with tickets at $25 to $55.

SAND SCULPTURE

Since the fair began, artists have been building cow-themed sand sculptures in the Fair Square. Today the whole display is scheduled to be finished and set for viewing.

PIE-EATING CONTEST

It’s Sunday after a long work week, and what better way to loosen up than by devouring a delicious pastry in record time? After the weekly contest at 3 p.m. in the Ralphs Family Fair Way area, you might not be hungry again for seven more days.