Eric Bischoff Thinks TNA Made A Mistake By Working With NWA In 2002, Praises Mike Tenay

On the latest episode of 83 Weeks, Eric Bischoff covered the first-ever TNA Wrestling pay-per-view event in 2002, where he talked about Mike Tenay, the promotion working with the NWA and more. You can check out some highlights below:

On TNA Wrestling working with NWA when they first launched: “By this point in time, 2002, you’re resurrecting something that had been so diluted, the NWA brand, 10 years earlier. But by this point in time, I think the NWA brand had just been diluted to the point that you’re better off starting from scratch. I would’ve started from scratch as opposed to leading into the history of a brand that had been diluted and kind of drug through the dirt.”

On whether he would’ve brought back Mike Tenay in WCW 2.0: “Yeah, I think so, because I always respected Mike when it came to color commentary. I mean, he was a walking, talking encyclopedia and was so good at adding that little touch of color, that little bit of information, that little bit of depth to a character or a story or backstory. There was nobody better at that than Mike. I was not a fan. I’ve said this before, as much as I respect and still do, Mike Tenay, play by play was not his strength. Color commentary was his strength. And I think that he was just — I’m sure he enjoyed doing it, but it just wasn’t his strength. And I would’ve used Mike much like I did in Nitro originally, to come in and just add depth and perspective and educate the audience about the talent as opposed to, you know, knowing very little about their lives prior to stepping into the ring.”

On why he brought Jerry Jarrett into WCW: “I brought Jerry in — so my idea to bring Jerry in and as well as a couple of other people that I wanted, you know, I wanted that voice and experience and perspective from promoters who had been successful. I knew I was going in a much different direction, but I was hoping to find some balance. And it’s not like I discounted, you know, the generation that came before me or in Jerry’s case, maybe two generations that came before me as much as I was wanting to find something different then. But at the same time, still be rooted in some of the fundamentals and basics. And I was hoping that Jerry Jarrett would be 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.