Eric Bischoff believes the decision to spray-paint the WCW World Heavyweight Championship with the NWO logo was spontaneous rather than planned in advance.
Speaking on 83 Weeks, Bischoff explained that Kevin Sullivan was more directly involved in the creative discussions surrounding Hulk Hogan’s championship victory over The Giant.
“Kevin Sullivan would have been able to probably add much more detail and credibility to this response because I wasn’t directly involved in those conversations.
“They would come to me with a plan, and I would either have some input or sign off on it, whatever the case may be.”
Bischoff said WCW generally knew Hogan would become champion after turning heel because the company wanted its biggest villain to be pursued by multiple babyfaces.
“I think we all understood, generally speaking, that Hulk was going to end up with the title.
“The idea was to put the title on the biggest heel we had and create the chase amongst as many of the WCW babyfaces as we could muster. That’s the basic formula. So, of course, we went into it generally knowing that.”
Bischoff could not recall who suggested spray-painting the championship but does not believe it was part of the original plan.
“In terms of specifically how and when and who, and whose idea it was to spray-paint the belt, that I couldn’t tell you.
“I’m pretty sure I’d be right if I told you that spray-painting the belt was a spontaneous move. I don’t think it was actually planned. I think it just kind of happened.
“Of course, it stuck in more ways than one.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit 83 Weeks, with a h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.
