Eric Bischoff gave his thoughts on various topics on the latest episode of his 83 Weeks Podcast. Here are the highlights:
On Terry Taylor:
“Like, I have such a strange relationship with Terry Taylor because I really liked him. It was a complicated relationship. I did enjoy being around Terry, even professionally because Terry Taylor had a great feel for producing matches. Terry was great at that. Terry understood psychology really well. So, I enjoyed and respected his abilities in that regard. But Terry brought with him certain characteristics and personality traits that I didn’t appreciate. Terry didn’t always conduct himself professionally. WCW’s relationships within the industry sometimes created a conflict and a conflict of interest and opened WCW up to potential litigation. “
On booking Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair at WCW SuperBrawl 1999:
“They just fit together. It just works. Just did. And I don’t think it’s fair or accurate to give either one of them. I think Ric’s ability to be passionate is Ric, I mean, where his passion is asleep in real life and ends in the rain. And because of Ric’s intense passion, can he make you forget that you’ve seen that match before? Yes, as long as there’s a different reason for it, a different issue on the table. Ric can make you forget everything else that’s ever happened. So, in that sense, I think as an opponent, particularly when it comes to the narrative, it takes to drive interest in a match. How do you not tip your hat to Ric Flair? That’s what he was best at: creating passion and emotion. Hogan because of their history, because he was Hulk Hogan; it was the chemistry that was built in. The story was really there. After Kraft must just build off the history to a large degree, and the who’s the best in the business who’s the best that ever was, again, could lay claim, and arguably so could Ric Flair. So you’ve got, you’ve got to have the very best in the world at that time. And not only the best in the world at that time when I say best, maybe maybe not physically in the ring and being able to go out there and perform athletically at a super high level and do all kinds of crazy shit. But in terms of a story, telling the ring history, the drama that came along with it, just as a result of being Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan said, you know, like I said, it’s a hollow notes thing. It’s just magic. It is hard to pin it on any one person.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit 83 Weeks with an h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.