Eric Bischoff On Dean Malenko Being Underrated In WCW, Why He Loved Malenko’s Character

In a recent edition of 83 Weeks, Eric Bischoff discussed why he loved Dean Malenko’s character in WCW, Malenko being underrated, and much more. You can read Eric Bischoff’s comments below.

Eric Bischoff on why he loved Dean Malenko’s character in WCW: “I just loved Dean’s character. I disagree with anybody that would’ve dismissed him because of his lack of character. I mean, “The Iceman” Dean Malenko? I believed in him. When he walked through that curtain, he made be believe he was there and he was deadly serious about what he was about to do. If the goal in producing a great wrestling match – or great wrestling show for that matter – is to suck people in and allow them to believe in this fantasy they’re experiencing. You really want them to feel it. The only way they can feel it is if they believe it, even momentarily. Dean made me believe the minute he walked through the curtain. I think that was his character to me. I loved watching Dean Malenko matches. He was amazing to watch in the ring, but I loved watching the way he carried himself to the ring and around the ring and in his promos. I believed every syllable he would say in a promo because he made me believe when he walked through the curtain.”

On Malenko being underrated in WCW: “I think Dean, in many respects, is underrated. But I think a lot of fans recognize – especially now looking back – just how great he was. I do think he is perhaps one of the more underrated [wrestlers], and I feel that way again because of the respect I have for him professionally and the way that he conducted himself. That puts him on a whole other level in my opinion. Fans may not see that, they didn’t experience that part of it.”

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