Interactive Wrestling Radio, courtesy of WrestlingEpicenter.com, recently conducted a 2 part interview with Lucha Underground announcer, producer, and AAA Talent Relations Director Vampiro. Below are more highlights from the interview:
The return of Lucha Underground Season 3 on El Rey on May 31st:
“I think everybody’s kind of waiting on it, you know what I mean? There’s such a cool vibe around the show. After such a long time, people are getting used to the idea that we are a TV show based on wrestling and there is going to be a season split. I think in this day and age, it is refreshing to have that. The other companies that are going strong, you really don’t mind it if you miss a week or two or even a month. It is almost too much sometimes. TO have us coming back, we’ve got people ready for it. It is a pretty good feeling. We’re all motivated!”
Why the Lucha Underground fan base is so loyal:
“I really think it stems from a couple things. One of them is the way that we interact and relate, treat, co-exist with the fans live. It is the right environment. It is the right size. It is extremely intimate. The fact that we have that and really, really play off them. Before the show, I’m out there and I’m getting everybody ready. For me, it is a way to really extend that Vampiro thing that had that connection with the fans. It is real. We don’t have a dude standing off camera telling you when to react and who to cheer for. El Rey Network, they are the Rockstar Network, right? The fact that we’ve got El Rey backing us up, the people in the crowd, the people at home want to be part of it. I think that’s the magic, dude.”
Why Lucha Underground has surpassed other companies Vampiro was part of after WCW such as XWF, MLW, and Wrestling Society X:
“Well, all those other companies blew balls. All those other companies you mentioned (not WSX) were run by fans with daddy’s money. Just because you get it, you think you can dominate the wrestling business overnight. You can’t! It takes a lot of back story, you need a lot of power, a powerful network… El Rey, for example! You need the right creative department. You’ve gotta have the right team before you put the buffet table out there, you know what I mean? If the kitchen ain’t happening, the food is gonna be s–tty! I think we’re a complete package at Lucha Underground, my friend.”
Wrestling Society X being the precursor to Lucha Underground:
“It was and it wasn’t. All those guys there were too worried about making money. Everybody wanted to treat it like a wrestling company. I think Kevin Kleinrock’s original vision, he was more hip. It was a great thing to get rock and roll and punk rock involved. We’re friends of ours, we’re fans of theirs! But, I think too many people had their fingers in the pie there… MTV goes through changes every now and then. When the new management came in, they were more Jersey Shore type thing and they didn’t want to fit us in the rotation. We kind of got caught up in that. There were too many people who knew nothing about it and expected to make money right off the bat… Touring. How can we tour when you don’t put us on the air? That was the cool thing about that, the rock and roll. Looking back on it today, a lot of stars got their start in that promotion.”
If Lucha Underground stars will be part of a talent exchange with Impact Wrestling:
“No, that is not going to happen. That is a deal between AAA and Impact. Impact will have matches on AAA shows, for example. We will integrate some of our talent into TNA. Hopefully, eventually, way down the line, maybe do some inter-company angles. Baby steps. We want to do it right.”
