Vampiro spoke with Ring Rust Radio talking about Lucha Underground and the recent “Ultima Lucha” show, his relationship with Konnan, where his character’s inspiration comes from, his memories of WCW and more. Check out some highlights and the video below:
On his role on Lucha Underground: “Real quick, I’m not the lead anything, I’m part of a phenomenal team and my partner Matt Striker kind of carries the ball a lot more than I do. I am just really glad to be there. Sometimes it’s really frustrating to me watching it because it’s so exciting and I wish I could still be in there. The whole experience is pretty exciting for me, everything from the talent, the phenomenal athleticism of the guys, the crowd reaction, and the whole vibe. I’ve been around the wrestling business since 1984 and I have never seen anything as cool and smooth as this. I think it’s just scratching the surface of what’s to come and it’s only going to grow. The whole concept of how they do the TV show and how we are going to take a break, nothing like this has ever been done before. You know very well that in this stage of the game it’s very hard to do something new. The way we do wrestling and the business is going to catch a fans eye and bring new people into the game. I think Lucha Underground is breaking ground and we won’t know the impact just yet since its just starting.”
On Ultima Lucha: “Devastation. It was a wild night man let me tell you. I have seen and done a lot in this business all over and in different countries since 1984. That show we did was a pretty insane night. For me personally, I would say it was the top of the game and definitely number one. For the fans, holy shit, that was the first time you could actually feel a building shake from the response of the fans. It was pretty intense.”
On the inspiration for his gimmick: “It was the mid 80’s, and I had always been a fan of the book Dracula. I liked the character, the fact that he was different, and the fact he was misunderstood by people. People treated him different and that was a huge thing for me in my life. I was a bigger guy when I was younger, I was one of the only kids that liked alternative music in my hometown, I was really passionate absolute life, but I felt like an outsider. When I would read the Dracula book and saw things from his point of view he became my superhero. At the time, everyone was into sports or comics, but he was someone I could really identify with. When I was living in LA in the mid 80’s, the scene was dirty, leather studded jackets. The Anne Rice vampire books just came out followed by the Lost Boys movie. The music culture from bands like LA Guns, Faster Pussycat, Guns N Roses, and hardcore punk was the thing. The street vibe and vampire culture was exploding. I remember the book the Vampire Lestat, he was a street musician and performer, he always told people who he was, and he was really rebellious. I absolutely feel in love with that character and that is where the Vampiro character came from.”
On his WCW memories: “I don’t have anything good to say unfortunately, I wish I did though. I was newly married at the time, I was a kid from a small town and I made it to the big leagues I had finally made it. I felt in my heart and soul that the biggest mistake of my career going to WCW. I was at the point of hitting my peak, I was still an innovator, I was hungry, and I think I could have been somebody. I had the chance to go to All Japan and make a career there since I had spent some time because of my years working in Mexico. Something was telling me at the time to try the American style so I did and went to WCW. The fans there were really cool, but it was the most depressing time of my life there. It kind of ruined the business for me and I never was really happy in the business since. All the drama, bullshit, lies, manipulation, the abuse, it was a horrible, horrible experience. The only highlights were the cool relationship I had with the fans and when I got the championship belt with Muta who was my hero in wrestling. Everything else was fucking brutal, I hate it, I regret it, and I wish it didn’t happen. I really think that is what ruined my career. You know it could have been better but they just didn’t get me and I was just ahead of my time, I really believe that. I was in the wrong place with all the old school Carolina people at the time. I was a punk rock kid and they kept telling me I had to be a heel. I told them let me go and you will see. When I started to and they saw me they saw the people loved it. Then they tried saying to me that I was Mexican. No, you fucking guys I have been doing this for 18 years, I’m Canadian, I have been everywhere, give me a fucking chance. I really hated it and have nothing good to say about it. One other good thing that comes to mind now, I really enjoyed my time learning and making a friend out of Terry Taylor. That person really helped me out a lot. Because of my time with him is why I am able to do what I do today behind the scenes with the younger guys.”
