Eric Bischoff says his relationship with AEW isn’t as good these days, but that was his choice.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, Bischoff bounced back and forth between WWE and AEW programming. In 2020, he moderated a debate between Chris Jericho and Orange Cassidy on the August 5 episode of AEW Dynamite, and he returned on the October 28 episode. Bischoff also appeared on the March 3 and the May 28 episodes in 2021. Meanwhile, he popped up on WWE programming, as he appeared on the December 27 episode of WWE RAW in 2021. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame earlier in the year. Bischoff later appeared on the January 21 episode of SmackDown in 2022.
In an interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Bischoff noted that his relationship with AEW isn’t good anymore, compared to what it used to be, but that was his choice. He stated that when he made his controversial comments about Khan and the company, he knew AEW wouldn’t bring him back, and he was fine with it. Bischoff also described how he called Bruce Prichard before he made his first appearance for AEW.
“Yeah that one [the AEW relationship] is not as good anymore, but that was my choice,” Bischoff said. “I knew when I said what I was going to say that it will be the last time I get invited there. I was fine with that. I don’t worry about it, it is what it is. But when I was bouncing back between WWE and AEW, first time I got a call from AEW, I called Bruce Prichard.
“I said that I just want to let you know out of courtesy and respect for our friendship, I am still tight with Bruce. Please let Vince know, if he has got a question about this or an issue, please give me a shout. If not, I am going to go ahead. I got the word back to go and have a ball, it’s just communication and common courtesy.”
Bischoff has publicly criticized Tony Khan and AEW a number of times over the years; he previously told him to “shut up and wrestle” after Khan commented on AEW’s competition with WWE. Khan has also responded to Bischoff a few times and once called his comments “laughable“.
Thanks to Chris Van Vliet for sharing the quotes in this article.
