Eric Bischoff Talks Ric Flair’s Importance To WCW, Randy Savage’s Impact

On the latest episode of 83 Weeks, Eric Bischoff talked about a hypothetical WCW Hall of Fame class, Ric Flair, and more. You can check out some highlights below:

On Randy Savage’s impact in WCW: “Much like the WWE Hall of Fame, which recognizes Hall of Fame talent and individuals that perhaps weren’t really directly associated or if at all, maybe for short periods of time, with WWE. It’s the impact on the business in general. And without question, I agree with everything you said about Randy’s impact in WCW. Clearly true and accurate, probably understated in some respects. Because Randy really contributed more to WCW than is sometimes evident on the screen. Including the Slim Jim deal, including changing the way Turner ad sales started looking at WCW because of the power of Slim Jimm and the fact that a wrestling person could actually bring that in the door where Turner sales executives previously couldn’t. So, there was sometimes the impact of an individual on an organization isn’t always who they beat or how many title runs they had. It’s sometimes more than that; Randy defines that, not only in WCW but in WWE. To this day, I’m still seeing Slim Jim, point of sale, Randy Savage stuff.”

On Ric Flair being in the WCW Hall of Fame: “Rick would have to be my number one [pick]. I mean, there’s — I couldn’t even really honestly debate it with anybody, because there is no debate in mind. And I don’t have that much patience to listen to nonsense. So yeah, despite — you know, you could talk about everybody you want to talk about. Some people I will fight for like Lex and others. But I wouldn’t even stick around argue about this one. Rick is — again, going about everything that you just said, all of which was 100% true and in and of itself makes Ric Flair Hall of Fame-worthy. Impact; where there no Ric Flair, there would be no Hulk Hogan, no NWO, no Attitude Era, and no Mr. McMahon. There may not be the WWE that you know today. Because without all those things happening, you get on your plane and look down at 33,000 feet at the big picture. Had Ric Flair not been in WCW, or been inclined to help get Hulk Hogan into WCW. And if Hogan hadn’t arrived, there would be no NWO. If you think that there would be an Attitude Era and a Mr. McMahon and Stone Cold Steve Austin had there not been the 12 months of NWO that preceded Vince’s decision? You’re not paying attention.

“And had there not been Mr. McMahon, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mike Tyson. That moment launched that storyline and really reestablished WWE as the number one company in this industry? Had it not been for all that, I don’t know that what we’re seeing today would exist in the same form. I really don’t. And that all goes back to one guy. Eh, never goes back to one guy. But there’s one guy in that chain that, if it were not for that one guy, none of that happens. And that’s just real. Now Rick doesn’t doesn’t care for me at all, it’s unfortunate. And I feel however I feel about Rick. And it’s weird. It’s probably like everybody else, it’s love-hate. It’s just Ric, it is what it is. But my personal feelings, good or bad, have nothing to do with the truth and facts as I just reiterated them or pointed them out, because it’s all true. And that’s for that alone, because all of those things that come combined have had such an amazing — I mean, I could go on and on. We know, it should be obvious. Ric Flair, number one.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit 83 Weeks with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.