Eric Bischoff Discusses the Infamous Sid – Arn Anderson Hotel Scissor Fight, If He Gave Anderson A Heads Up When He Brought Sid Back to WCW in 1999

On the latest edition of 83 Weeks, Eric Bischoff talked about Sid Vicious returning to WCW at the 1999 Great American Bash in Baltimore despite his controversial history with WCW star Arn Anderson, and reports by Dave Meltzer that he (Bischoff) didn’t give the wrestlers, and in particular Anderson, a heads up that Sid was returning (Meltzer reported that Anderson didn’t learn about Sid’s return until Randy Savage told him in Baltimore).

Sid and Anderson, of course, got into one of the most infamous fights in wrestling history back in 1993 which started at a hotel bar. That fight eventually ended and the two went back to their separate rooms, only to have Sid allegedly go to Arn’s room later in the night for round two, which spilled into the hallway, involved a pair of scissors, and left both seriously injured including stab wounds. The fight ultimately led to Sid being released from WCW by Bischoff after many wrestlers backstage reportedly took sides.

On reports that he didn’t give the wrestlers, including Arn Anderson, a heads up that Sid was returning: “First of all I don’t agree with the premise that we didn’t give everybody a heads up, so I’m not taking Dave [Meltzer]’s perspective on this at face value. Do I remember sitting down and talking with everybody, specifically about it, or anybody? Not necessarily. Do I believe I did? Absolutely. So I’m going to reject the premise, without MFing him because I’m tired of doing it, and our listeners are tired of hearing it. I’m so sick of Dave’s, it’s so clear here, and if it’s not clear to you then, that’s your choice. If it’s not clear to you that this guy is so stricken with need to force his agenda on his readers, then there’s really nothing that I’m going to say that’s going to make it interesting or give you a different opinion. Everything out of his mouth and in his dirtsheets were all about burying WCW, and Hogan, and me.”

On how he’d react if Arn Anderson told him he wasn’t OK with Sid returning: “Let’s go back. Arn Anderson, now I wasn’t there when there, when that incident went down in the hotel, wherever it was, it was either Germany or the UK, I can’t remember because I wasn’t there, I think it was Germany, I got the phone call at 2, 3, 4 o’clock in the morning right after it happened from Doug Dillinger. First reports were, Arn was just as responsible for that as Sid was. He was stirring the pot. There was nobody in this equation that was guilt free. Now granted, it got way out of hand, clearly, beyond just a fist fight. But neither one of them were guilt free. So the thought that I needed to make sure that one of the two parties was OK with it, eh, I’m not sure I agree with that. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have had a conversation with them. But when I let Sid go, we knew that was a temporary situation. Arn knew he was walking on thin ice because he was partially responsible for what went down, not totally, I’m not saying he started it, but he certainly facilitated it, based on all the reports that I had from everybody who was objective, who did see it happen. So there was nobody in that equation who was guilt free. So I think if anybody accepts that premise, or that position, that I took it that time, that nobody was guilt free, yeah, you had to fine them, you had to hurt them financially, you had to make an example out of them, but it wasn’t a death sentence. So, yeah I would have had a conversation, but believe me, I had a conversation with Arn long before that, Arn knew he was on thin ice as a result of that event. He knew there were a lot of people within Turner Broadcasting that wanted them both fired permanently, like forever permanently, never come back. And yeah, I had to manage that, in both of their cases, not just for Sid’s, but Arn too. So just, put the whole situation in context, not just the part of it that certain writers feel the need to jump all over to further their agenda.”

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