Vampiro recently received fan backlash after telling Soundsphere Magazine during an interview that while Rhea Ripley is “real Gothic looking … She wasn’t that. She became that. You know, punk, you don’t learn it. You either are born with it, or you’re not.” Many took this to mean he was suggesting that the Australian was inauthentic, unlike himself. However, in a recent Facebook statement, Vampiro has clarified that his remarks about her character were taken completely out of context.
“100% not true. I cannot believe I even have to answer this, but I will. My words were taken completely out of context. I was doing an interview, and I was asked if gothic or darker personalities are harder to do now. I used her as an example because I think her character is f*cking awesome. What I meant was that in the beginning, maybe they were still figuring things out creatively, but she found her own lane and absolutely made it work. That is respect.
Never in a million years would I make fun of her, disrespect her, or insult what she has accomplished. I am a fan. She is incredible in the ring, and I would be lucky to have accomplished even a quarter of what she has accomplished in her American promotion. So whoever twisted that into something negative completely missed the point, and honestly, that’s not cool. There was no disrespect. There was no jealousy. There was no insult. Only respect.” – Vampiro
While his career peak was the 90s, Vampiro has stayed active in the 2020s, mainly in Juggalo Championship Wrestling and with occasional AAA appearances in Mexico. At age 59, battling years of accumulated injuries, he chose JCW, his spiritual home, thanks to his friendship with Insane Clown Posse, as the venue for his retirement match. On April 17, 2026, at Strangle-Mania in Las Vegas, he main-evented in a three-way against PCO and Big Vito, winning with his signature Nail in the Coffin before delivering an emotional farewell speech. The 42-year veteran, therefore, got to leave the ring on his own terms, cementing his cult legacy in independent and lucha libre circles.
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