Eric Bischoff says WWE Hall of Famer was a 'liability' to major promotion
Eric Bischoff is a controversial name within the WWE Universe. While there is no doubt about his importance in the history of wrestling, not all of his views are popular.
Mick Foley had a mixed run in WCW. He is remembered by fans for great moments and matches but feels the company under Bischoff never gave him a chance to shine. The former WCW boss has now blamed the hardcore legend himself for his failure in the company.
Speaking on his 83 weeks podcast, Bischoff said Foley’s style was too extreme for WCW and often posed a risk to himself, his opponents, and in some cases, even the fans.
You can read Bischoff's comments below:
"I let Mick go, because Mick was dangerous. Mick was intent on wrestling this extreme, high-risk wrestling style — jumping off balconies and things like that. That was the last straw, and I let Mick go because Mick was a liability — not only onto himself but — in certain circumstances in WCW — he was dangerous to the fans. Not intentionally, obviously, but when you're jumping off balconies onto the floor in front of the crowd, things can go wrong," Bischoff said. (H/T Wrestlinginc.com)
According to the former RAW General Manager, his bosses at Turner Broadcasting made it clear to him that such antics would not be tolerated, and Mick’s reluctance to change his style was the reason for him to leave the promotion.
"Mick made his own decision to leave WCW. He was given a choice, and he chose to continue wrestling the way he wrestled," Bischoff added. (H/T Wrestlinginc.com)
You can watch the entire clip below:
Eric Bischoff said signing Bret Hart was a mistake
On his podcast, Bischoff also called the signing of Bret Hart a mistake for all the parties that were involved. Hart was signed as one of the hottest wrestlers in the world after the Montreal Screwjob. The Canadian star had an underwhelming run in WCW despite winning the world title.
"No reflection on him but Bret Hart. Nothing good came out of it. Not for him, not for us, not for the fans. Everybody lost," Eric Bischoff said. [1:36:34 - 1:36:44]
While it is clear that Hart’s run was a missed opportunity, there was incredible hype for the former WWE Champion’s move across the companies. There is no reason to believe that the signing would not have worked if Eric Bischoff and WCW had not messed up the execution.
You can watch the entire video below:
What do you think of Eric Bischoff’s comments? Were you a fan of Foley’s style, or was it too dangerous? Let us know in the comments section below.