"Tony's easy to make fun of" - WWE legend opens up on his true feelings towards the AEW owner (Exclusive)
AEW President Tony Khan has notably had some issues with Eric Bischoff in recent years. But during a recent interview, Bischoff expressed his admiration for Khan for doing the same thing he did years ago.
During the heated "Monday Night Wars" of the late 1990s, WCW took WWE head-on, and with Eric Bischoff at the helm, the promotion seemed to become a real threat. Tony Khan and AEW have naturally been compared to WCW in the same way, and the similarities don't seem to be lost on Bischoff.
Speaking to Sportskeeda's Riju Dasgupta in a recent exclusive interview, Bischoff empathized with Tony Khan's struggles to run AEW and compared it to his reign with WCW.
"I would’ve made fun of Tony in other ways that would’ve been much more entertaining 'cause Tony’s easy to make fun of! He is a bizarre character, but he’s a very, very smart guy. He’s very passionate. I think he’s learning on the job, and I understand that! I have empathy for that, I did too. Just like I made a lot of mistakes along the way, so is Tony. And that’s part of growing and becoming a more seasoned executive." [3:50 to 4:28]
Check out the entire episode below:
To hear Eric Bischoff's take on many other topics in the pro wrestling industry, check out his podcast 83 Weeks, with new content every Monday and Thursday.
Missed out on last night's AEW Dynamite? Catch up with the results right here.
Eric Bischoff was not at all impressed with veteran journalist Ariel Helwani's underhanded shot at AEW President Tony Khan
Tony has notably had his fair share of detractors since 2019, but he has often made some wild remarks on social media. He recently got into a nasty tiff with Ariel Helwani, who seemed to suggest that Tony Khan had a habit of using recreational drugs.
@TonyKhan @tonyschiavone24 Thanks for watching, old friend! Can’t wait for our next chat.
(Also, don’t listen to the snowman, Schiavone. You’re a legend in my books.)
During the same interview, the veteran slammed Ariel Helwani for perpetuating rumors about the AEW President.
"That was a very childish, inappropriate thing to do. If you have first-hand, personal knowledge and you witnessed it? That’s fine, all bets are off. Say whatever you want to say. But to spread a rumor or perpetuate a rumor started by somebody else, simply to get attention on social media? I think is really immature and unprofessional." [3:09 to 3:48]
Despite their many back-and-forth tiffs, it does seem like Eric Bischoff holds a measure of respect for Tony Khan. Could their issues have been overblown? Until the two men sit down and hash it out, fans might never know.
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