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BANDIDO DISCUSSES TONIGHT'S IMPACT WRESTLING EMERGENCE PPV, REPRESENTING AAA, STEALING SHOW AT FLAIR'S LAST MATCH, IMPACT STARS HE WANTS TO FACE, ROH RUN AND MORE: COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT

Earlier this week, PWInsider.com interviewed Bandido about a number of topics including his debut tonight for Impact Wrestling at the 2022 Emergence PPV in Chicago.  The interview, conducted by Rafaela, has been translated into English.  Enjoy!

Rafaela: You are making your Impact Wrestling debut Friday in Chicago at Emergence on Impact Plus and FITE.TV - how excited are you to come to Impact?

Bandido: I'm really happy, really excited that Impact Wrestling has given me this opportunity. And what better way than to be in Chicago, home of so many Hispanics and Latinos. I hope they all go on Friday and support Mexican talent.

Rafaela: There is a massive Latin fan base in Chicago that always comes out to Cicero Stadium for wrestling events.  Thoughts on representing them this weekend?

Bandido: I'm excited but also nervous. It's a very big commitment that I have this weekend, this Friday but I'm really excited and really anxious to give the fans lucha, wrestling this weekend.

Rafaela: You are coming to Impact through their relationship with Lucha Libre AAA - thoughts on being such a big part of that continued partnership between the companies?

Bandido: It's incredible because I used to watch them on TV in the past, the Mexican talent that would be sent to represent AAA, and now I'm a part of that myself. It's important because I want to show everyone in the US that there are a lot of talented wrestlers in Mexico.

Rafaela: You will be facing someone you know very well Friday in Rey Horus - what can fans expect from that match?

Bandido: The truth is, we've wrestled man to man on 3 continents - in Europe, America, Mexico, in various parts of the world they've put us against each other. No matter where we're wrestled each other, we've also had a great match, so I hope that this weekend we can break the record that we have that the fans support us so much and  that they're throwing money into the ring.

Rafaela: We've seen Demonic Flamita face you in so many promotions - would you like to see him follow you to Impact?

Bandido: Of course I would, why not? He's a very strong rival and very brave, and one which I'm ready to fight to the end with. If Impact would be open to it, I would love to have a mask vs mask match with him.

Rafaela: What other AAA Luchadors would you like to see make their way to compete in Impact?

Bandido: The truth is, I love seeing Black Taurus, Laredo, they're both doing some incredible things. I'd also love to see El Hijo Del Vikingo, Aramis, all of the people that are looking for the opportunity to cross over to the US. I would love to see them all come here and get an opportunity. 

Rafaela: You took part in Ric Flair's Last Match last week in Nashville in an excellent four way lucha bout that stole the show.  Thoughts on the match and having the chance to represent AAA on such a major American show.

Bandido: Grateful, very grateful to AAA that they blessed me with this opportunity and happy, very happy with the result - that fans are saying the match stole the show. It's incredible. I'm happy that all of the fans in Nashville enjoyed our performance and I hope that we can have more matches like that at other events.

Rafaela: You were the ROH World Champion for quite some time before the promotion shut down and was sold to Tony Khan.  What did the ROH run mean to you personally and professionally?

Bandido: It was a huge joy to represent the company and to represent Hispanics as well. There haven't been a lot of Latinos that have held the Ring of Honor Title, so it was something that was incredible in my career. I hope to continue to pursue more titles and at some point, maybe go back and try to become ROH Champion again.

Rafaela: You had a chance to be one of the first luchadors ever to wrestle in Madison Square Garden who were not with WWE at the G1 Supercard show- how did it feel making that history and what was the pressure of that show like?

Bandido: That night made my life. It marked a dream coming true, the location - it was an incredible night. I think what made it even better was that my dad and my mom and my brother were there that night. Having them there to see me wrestle in Madison Square Garden was one of the most incredible moments of my life.

Rafaela: That's so nice that your family was there with you that night. Continuing with the ROH theme, what are your thoughts on ROH under new ownership?

Bandido: The truth is, it's incredible that they saved the company so that it wouldn't die, since we didn't really know what would happen to it. I hope the company continues on a good path and once again goes to the top, because ROH represents wrestling in the US and represents a historic time in my life. 

Rafaela: You have been a major part of AAA's Triplemania 30 celebration events with the final event this October in Mexico City.  Thoughts on the shows so far?

Bandido: Both happy and excited. The last event that I was a part of with Triplemania, I left a little hurt, I left on a stretcher but I've recuperated and I'm ready to take part in the next event.

Rafaela: The mask is such a big part of lucha libre tradition. Can you tell us how you developed and designed your unique mask?

Bandido: The mask was designed by myself and my mask guy, Alan Reyes. One night I went over to his house and we were talking about the mask and what I wanted, and all of the art that you see in my masks comes from the mind of Alan Reyes. I owe him the design and the modifications and inclusions that he's made to the mask - it all comes from Alan Reyes, he's the creator of that.

Rafaela: With so many talents in Impact, who is in the locker room you'd like to step into the ring with?

Bandido: I've watched and followed the work of Josh Alexander, he's a really good wrestler. There's also Alex Shelley, who I've had a lot of encounters with, so there are a lot of talented people there at the moment that I would love to step in the ring with.

Rafaela: Impact has a faction called Honor No More, made up of angry former ROH talents now in Impact - thoughts on potentially crossing paths with members of your old locker room?

Bandido: I would love it. I would love to represent Ring of Honor in Impact Wrestling. All of the guys in the faction are my friends and I know them from my time in the company. I'm sure when I see them it'll be a great time, and I would be thrilled to be a part of that faction, if the opportunity presents itself.

Rafaela: In October, Penta vs. Villano IV with the loser losing their mask is set.  As a luchador, you know how important the mask is to your identity.  Thoughts on the match and what it means for either of them to lose their mask?

Bandido: I know Penta really well, he's a friend. He's been preparing himself a lot for this match. Same with Villano, I've seen him training, really concentrating on the match. It's going to be an incredible match that I'm dying to see - I can't wait to see who wins that night. 

Rafaela: You've had a really successful career thus far and you mentioned earlier that wrestling at Madison Square Garden was one of the high points of your career. Would you say that was the best moment so far, or is there another moment you would consider to be the best moment of your career?

Bandido: That was definitely one of the best moments of my career. Another moment that made a mark in my life was winning the Battle of Los Angeles - BOLA, my dad and my brother were also there that night. I'm the first Mexican to win that tournament that's so prestigious in the US. The fact that they were both there with me that night and that they both got in the ring after the match and carried me on their shoulders -that moment is etched in my mind and will be passed down from generation to generation.

Rafaela: We want to thank you so much for your time today. Last couple of questions for you - why should the fans come to Cicero Stadium this weekend and see Bandido in action?

Bandido: I always try to deliver heart, body and soul anytime I step into the squared circle, and Friday night will be no exception. I'm going to leave everything in the ring so that the fans will be the true winners that night, the ones that are going to support wrestling and support Impact. We're all getting ready and preparing for something spectacular Friday night.

Rafaela: Any final messages for the fans who have supported you from Mexico to the United States?

Bandido: I want to say thank you. Thank you for all of the support and kindness from the fans and Mexico and in the US as well. Thanks to you, I am who I am at this moment and I hope that you continue to support my career. As long as you continue to support me, cheering, yelling and screaming, I will continue to wrestle. Thank you so much.

Impact Wrestling's Emergence streams tonight at Impact+

 

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