Vampiro Says Lucha Underground Paved The Way For AEW, Discusses Why Lucha Underground Failed

– Speaking with Chris Van Vliet for a new interview, Vampiro weighed in on what happened with Lucha Underground and how it opened the doors for AEW to come into being. Lucha Underground has never officially closed down, but Vampiro — who served as the color commentator for the company — pointed out why the promotion was pretty officially over and discussed how the usual (metaphorical) suspects were responsible for its demise.

He also talked about how Lucha Underground paved the way for AEW to become what it became as well. You can check out the highlights and full video below:

On whether Lucha Underground is done or not: “I can unofficially say, officially yeah [it’s done]. I mean, wouldn’t you? 90% of the roster is in AEW and the other 10% is in the WWE. The writers are gone, the production crew is gone, the company is split. I would pretty much put my money on it’s over and done with, yeah.”

On what did the promotion in: “What always causes pro wrestling to end. Lack of communication. Too many chiefs, not enough Indians or too many cooks in the kitchen … Too much ego, I think a lack of communication and lack of accountability [from management]. You know, there was millions and millions of dollars in play. And I think our biggest error was not going on tour after season one when it was hot. And then by season three, and it’s it’s classic in wrestling. When you take independent talent who has mega charisma and much talent, and you do not put rules in place from day one, when they become powerful and then you try to bring them back down it doesn’t work. It’s kinda like a prison riot. And I think the talent did the right thing, each and every one of them took the bull by horns. And they looked out for their careers, and moved on. And that’s life. It’s not good business, but I think they brought it on themselves. And as beautiful of an experience as it was, it’s a shame because it was a great product.”

On Lucha Underground opening the doors for AEW: “It’s a shame that it had to end. But I looked at it like the Sex Pistols. I always compare things to music … The Sex Pistols were not the founders of punk rock, but they had one album that changed the destiny of any alternative thought that was going to go into music. If it wasn’t for the Sex Pistols and the press and the boom, and that one album and the failed tour … it would not have set into actions the chain of events of what became grunge, hair metal, punk rock, hardcore. If it wasn’t for that and the Remones, there’d be no Green Day, there’d be no Nirvana, there’d be no — you know what I mean?

“So, without Lucha Underground, there’d be no AEW. I don’t give a f**k what kind of money that guy [Tony Khan] put into it, or what their initial vision was. Okay, Cody and Young Bucks and Jericho jumped on board — good businessmen — and Kenny Omega doing bulls**t YouTube videos in Japan. This would have never happened because the mindset of the fan at the moment was ready to support something different. A change, just like any alternative in music that happens … when the student is ready, the teacher appears. So Lucha Underground fed the change in WWE. Fed the boom in something that was beautiful and existed which was European wrestling became popular … Puerto Rico came on fire. Japan began igniting again. So I believe we were responsible for re-igniting that spark.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.