Eric Bischoff opens up about WWE firing.
On Oct. 15, news broke that Eric Bischoff had been fired from his role as Executive Director of WWE SmackDown. Bischoff was hired for the role in June and began working for the company on July 22. On the latest episode of his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff was asked by co-host Conrad Thompson about his feelings over being fired.
"My feelings right now are, number one, I'm really grateful for the opportunity to work in WWE. It didn't work out the way I wanted it to work out. It clearly didn't work out the way Vince McMahon wanted it to work out," stated Bischoff. "That happens. I'm not taking any of it personally. Professionally, I'm taking a hard look at it and thinking it through. More than anything, I'm grateful for the opportunity. Part of the reason is, I had a chance to work with a great team of people. The writing staff for SmackDown in particular, as well as a lot of other writers who were on Raw. They are very very talented and unbelievably hard working and dedicated group of people. To have the opportunity to work with people like that, was worth this experiment."
Bischoff continued, "I didn't come here thinking I was going to be in WWE for 5-10 years. I looked at it as a relatively short term opportunity, meaning 2-3 years. I didn't think it would be quite this short term, but sometimes this happens. WWE is a great company with a very defined culture and process. I didn't necessarily fit into it. I'm not sad, disappointed, any of those things. Just looking forward to the next opportunity, whenever and wherever that may be."
Bischoff was replaced by Bruce Prichard in the role as Executive Director of SmackDown. Both Bischoff and Prichard were very complimentary of each other on social media after the news broke. However, Thompson suggested that there were reports that the two were angry at each other over the situation.
"If there's anything out there that suggests anything other than Bruce and I are the best of friends and that I'm fully supportive of him, it defines the bullshit and digital diarrhea that dirt sheets and the douchebags that write them live off of," Bischoff said when asked to clear up the rumor. "Nothing could be further from the truth. Bruce is probably the reason I got the opportunity in the first place. This is a decision Vince McMahon made based on whatever was going through his mind. I'm 1000% sure that anything Bruce said had nothing to do with that. Bruce is one of my closest friends and will remain one of my closest friends."
To close, Bischoff was asked if he would do it over again.
He replied, "Yup. No regrets. When I took the job, I knew what the odds were about it being a long term opportunity. I'm not surprised. I'm disappointed, I'm not gonna lie. I would have liked to have met Vince McMahon's expectations and I would have liked for it to have been a longer run. I would do it over again in a heartbeat."
The former WCW head honcho also made light of the 83 Days jokes that have been flying around social media and suggested that he would speak more about his time in WWE at a later date.
Shortly after his firing, Bischoff was announced for Starrcast IV in Baltimore.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit 83 Weeks with a h/t to Fightful for the transcription.