During the latest edition of his 83 Weeks podcast, Eric Bischoff addressed his surprise return to TNT for last week's episode of All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite. He moderated a debate between Chris Jericho and Orange Cassidy, and while it was likely a one-off, it certainly got fans talking.
Bischoff, who was once in charge of WCW and later became SmackDown's Executive Director, knows the wrestling business well, so what did he make of how All Elite Wrestling is being run?
"I had so much fun. The energy was so much fun to be around," he started. "The guys were having fun trying to figure out their matches. They were having fun coming up with different ways to entertain the audience. The energy was so positive. Even though it was hard work and even though there were challenges, they had a positive energy."
"When I went backstage, the first thing I noticed was these guys are having fun trying to figure out how to lay their match out in a way that not only entertains the audience but advances their story. I could tell and I could overhear some of the conversations and heard them working hard to get each other over. They are not just working hard to get themselves over which you have to do, but when you get to that point and you’re coming at it with a frame of mind that, 'Ok, how can I make my opponent look better than me, and my opponent is looking to do the same thing,' that is when the magic happens."
"I can’t say enough good things about the talent, the energy backstage, the hospitality and the professionalism," Bischoff continued. "It was really a great experience for me. If I never step in front of a camera again, if I never go backstage again anywhere even to say hi to anybody, it will be ok for me. I am really glad that my last experience that’s in a backstage environment watching a bunch of young talent, fresh talent, hungry talent that believes they can make a difference was a great one."
It sounds like the backstage environment in All Elite Wrestling is far more positive than it is in WWE, and it's hard to imagine things being anything like what Bischoff describes with Vince McMahon calling the shots.
Would you like to see more of the former WCW boss on Dynamite?