Eric Bischoff Thinks Sting Wasn’t Ready For WWE Run In 2015

On the latest episode of 83 Weeks, Eric Bischoff reflected on Sting’s tenure in WWE, including his WrestleMania match against Triple H and his Hall of Fame induction. The Icon finally came to WWE in 2015, being inducted into the Hall of Fame and battling The Game at WrestleMania 31.

The match was largely panned for a number of reasons, including the booking and the in-ring work. You can check out some highlights from Bischoff’s comments below:

On Sting’s WWE Hall of Fame Induction:

“I think inducting Steve into the Hall of Fame — look, there was a way to do it. What WWE did was not the way. What else would you as a fan — what else would you have done with Sting? Would you have had Sting beat Triple H? Let’s go back and look at some of the images. Sting was not ready for that opportunity,. I’m just going to come out and say it. I love Sting as a human being. He was not ready for that opportunity.”

On the Proof:

“Go back and look at the pictures. The stills, the video. Sting was not ready for that opportunity. Had he had time to ready himself mentally and physically, there was a lot of fun things that they could have done. But if you go back and look at what WWE had to work with, what else would you do? I don’t know. It’s easy to be critical, but put yourself in the shoes of the people that have to make a decision about, ‘Okay, what’s best for the company, what’s best for everybody involved.’ And just go back and look at where Sting was at, and ask yourself, ‘What would you have done differently?’”

On Being Disappointed If He Was Sting:

“I think if I was Steve, I would be as disappointed in myself as I would be with WWE. Because I think part of the responsibility was Steve’s. If he wasn’t ready for it physically, if he wasn’t ready for it mentally, say, ‘Hey, maybe next year. Give me a chance to get ready to really live up to the opportunity.’ I don’t think that happened. I think it probably came together pretty quickly. I think Steve thought it would be a great opportunity to get out there and get in front of the public again. And I don’t know what was discussed, never talked to anybody about it. But I’m sure that everybody was all excited about what could be until they got into talking about what really is going to be. Then we started seeing limitations.

“I’m just guessing, knowing Steve the way that I know. Because Steve will smell when something’s not right very quickly. And my sense, just without ever having talked to Steve, just looking at body language and hearing a few interviews? I’m thinking Steve started probably having doubts about halfway through it, and it just affected everything overall. That’s just a guess, and I do not mean any disrespect to anybody. But in order to talk about these situations with any degree of — at least honesty, I have to give you the reason why I feel the way I feel. And it’s not always flattering to myself, if I’m talking about myself or even friends of mine. But it’s the truth. And I think part of that responsibility was Steve’s as much as it was — and it was — WWE’s.”

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