Eric Bischoff Discusses The Backstage Energy in AEW, His Backstage Observations of Tony Khan, If He’d Consider Taking Creative Role With AEW

On the latest edition of 83 Weeks, Eric Bischoff discussed the backstage energy he felt when filming his recent AEW Dynamite segment, noting that talent was having fun preparing for the show and seemed to want to get their opponents over, not just themselves. He also talked about how passionate Tony Khan was backstage, and that he has no interest in a creative job with AEW. His comments are below.

On the energy backstage in AEW: “When I went backstage at AEW two weeks ago, the first thing I noticed was, ‘Wow, these guys are actually having fun laying their shit out, these guys are actually having fun trying to figure out how to lay a match out in a way that not only entertains the audience, obviously, but advances their story. And you could tell, I could hear some of the conversations, not that I was eavesdropping but sometimes you can’t help it, I was walking by and it’s like, these guys are working hard to get each other over, they’re not just working hard to get themselves over, which you have to do, but when you get to that point and you’re coming at it with a frame of mind that, ‘OK, how can I make my opponent look better than me,’ and your opponent is looking to do the same thing, that’s when the magic happens. And the freedom to do it. So can’t say enough good things about the talent, the energy backstage, the hospitality, the professionalism, it was a really great experience for me.”

Eric Bischoff on seeing Tony Khan in action backstage: “While I was getting ready to go out, we’ll call it a gorilla position, but when I was standing backstage, ready to be introduced for the segment, I was within earshot of Tony when he was at the gorilla position on monitors, and couldn’t help overhear Tony talking to probably Keith Mitchell or somebody in the truck, I’m assuming it was Keith. Tony is into this. Tony’s not just the guy with the checkbook. Tony’s not just a guy with a checkbook that’s also a big fan. Tony’s the guy with the checkbook who is a big fan who is also a good producer. And more importantly, loves producing. Therein lies the magic. His passion in the product. He’s obviously a very intelligent and experienced businessman, so check those boxes, but when you have passion and you like producing and you’re willing to grab it by the balls as oppose to putting somebody else in that position and hoping that they’re going to do the work that you want them to do, and by the way, that’s what I did to a large degree, that’s a mistake that I made to a large degree, is I put other people in positions that I probably should have had a much larger control of myself, so that’s why I’m pointing this out. Tony is grabbing this thing by the balls. What he lacks in experience, he more than makes up for in passion, in intelligence, and enjoyment in what he is doing and taking control over it.”

On if he has any interest in a creative role with AEW: “First of all, they don’t need me, so why would anybody hire me for a position they don’t need? They’re not going to do that, they’re on a roll, AEW is on a roll. They don’t need Eric Bischoff backstage or certainly in creative. They don’t need it. They’re doing just fine. And I have no interest in it if they did, I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to get involved in creative. I have no desire. But do you think for a second that if I did, in some twisted way, want to weasel my way back into a creative control kind of environment, or creative process environment, you think anybody in AEW would go, ‘Hey, that’s a good idea.’ So relax, folks.”

If using any of the above quotes, please credit 83 Weeks with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.