Lucha Canaria comes from the Guanches, the earliest known natives of the Canary Islands, however, with limited contact between the archipelago, each island developed different rules.
In 1420, after the Spanish conquest, Alvar García de Santa María, first registered the wrestling techniques, including the use of referees. Only some of these early rules and techniques have survived to modern times. After the conquest, the sport became part of the islands’ tradition, usually being fought at celebrations or local festivals. The rules were established in 1872, making it one of the earliest defined forms of wrestling
The rules have been passed on from generation to generation for centuries. The genesis of discipline dates back to the earliest history of the archipelago. According to the chronicles, it appeared in the XV century during conquests. However, originally it was not the struggles of athletes, but one of the methods of resolving conflicts, which was based on respect for the opponent, or a good way to prepare for the war. Later, the fight became a part of religious ceremonies. During emigration, the inhabitants of Kanar spread it in Cuba and Venezuela. The key moment of the existence of sport was the establishment in 1943 of the Federación de Lucha Canaria.
In the 1940s several provincial federations were formed, leading to the formation of the Federación Española de Lucha in 1984. As it needs a sand circle, lucha is usually fought on special pitches, and important matches, particularly inter-island contests, are covered by local Canarian TV.

Homenaje a la Lucha Canaria by Juan Miguel Cubas, Avenida del Saladar in Morro Jable, Pájara, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands