Courtesy: www.MondayNightMayhem.com
iMPACT Wrestling’s Eric Bischoff was one of the featured guests on this week’s live edition of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem. You can feel The Mayhem every Monday evening (at 7PM ET/6PM CT), exclusively on The Monday Night Mayhem Radio Network (www.MondayNightMayhem.com, www.AudioWrestling.com, www.Geekweek.com, www.Hybrident.tv, & www.iTunes.com). Join The Mayhem right now on Facebook (at www.Facebook.com/MondayNightMayhem), and follow The Mayhem on Twitter (at www.Twitter.com/FeelTheMayhem).
Eric joined The Big Mosh & “The Chairman of the Board” Todd Vincent for his return to “Your Home of Wrestling Radio” & for another installment of his exclusive monthly interactive segment on Monday Night Mayhem, “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (flavored by Sizzlin Sauces), which is now available in Windows Streaming Media or via the official MNM Podcast on iTunes:
“The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (flavored by Sizzlin Sauces) (MNM Streaming Audio): www.mondaynightmayhemarchives.com/waxfiles/080111.wax
“The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (flavored by Sizzlin Sauces) (MNM Podcast on iTunes): www.mondaynightmayhemarchives.com/aug11/080111.mp3
Questions were taken via Eric’s & MNM’s official Facebook pages (located at www.Facebook.com/TheEricBischoff & www.Facebook.com/MondayNightMayhem), along with The Mayhem Line (877.666.2110). Interview highlights courtesy of Paterson, MNM’s associate producer & official correspondent:
Why he does not feel uneasy about the future of iMPACT Wrestling on Spike TV, amidst reports of the network looking to rebrand: “Once again the Internet Wrestling Community has taken ahold of a story that came out a month or two ago about rebranding, and a couple of quotes that were made, and noticed that TNA wasn’t prominently featured in that story, and jumped to conclusions. The truth is iMPACT (Wrestling) is the highest-rated show on Spike TV. iMPACT has been, over the past year, averaging the largest audience that it ever has in the history of the company. The audience is growing unlike other networks & television shows that have very short life cycles and that peak & valley very quickly. 2011 looks like it’s going to be the best year ever for iMPACT. I think the folks at Spike TV are pretty excited about it quite frankly, and I haven’t or heard anything that makes me nervous.”
If he believes an effective relationship between TNA & the world of MMA should develop in the near future for the benefit of both entities: “Could it happen? Maybe. Should it happen? I don’t think so. MMA is a sport. It’s a legitimate sport. Professional wrestling is an entertainment property, and the similarities kind of end once you get past that they operate in a Pay-Per-View environment and in an arena environment. Anybody that operates under the assumption that there’s some really cool synergy between MMA & professional wrestling, it’s their opinion, but I don’t share it.”
Whether or not he has given any thought on returning to commentating: “Actually I have. Not on a regular basis, Mike Tenay is doing a wonderful job. I enjoy commentating. Play-by-play is one of the toughest jobs in the industry. The list of things for you to accomplish & maintain during the course of a broadcast, all while you are creating a story, and calling action, and making things seem larger than life; it’s very difficult job. I miss getting immersed in the story, and the energy, and getting caught up in the moment. It’s at those moments you forget what you’re doing, and you get caught up in the excitement & energy of that, and you do your best work. I miss that.”
More is contained in the latest installment of “The Hot Seat” (flavored by Sizzlin Sauces), including Eric’s candid thoughts on Sting’s new persona/character and the fan split about its current direction, the latest updates on “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, Jeff Hardy, & Matt Hardy, Triple H taking over Vince McMahon’s spot on WWE television, whether TNA plans on adding an additional featured TV program, the strategy of wrestlers being moved from heels to faces too quickly and its impact on storyline continuity, how MTV has influenced the worlds of professional wrestling & sports-entertainment, the evolution of his friendship & business relationship with Jason Hervey through the years, plus much more! If you missed the live & interactive “Hot Seat” experience, then tune in to “Your Home of Wrestling Radio” on Monday evening, September 5th (beginning at 7:40PM ET/6:40PM CT), as “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (flavored by Sizzlin Sauces) will return LIVE! This will be your chance to speak directly to iMPACT Wrestling’s Eric Bischoff just days prior to TNA’s No Surrender Pay-Per-View. Post your questions right now on Eric’s official Facebook page (located at www.Facebook.com/TheEricBischoff), along with that of Monday Night Mayhem (located at www.Facebook.com/MondayNightMayhem).
I would love to see Bischoff join Taz and Tenay in a 3-man commentator team. This could easily be put into storyline. After all this Immortal story line is over, Dixie regains control of her company, and tells Bischoff that whilst she would love to fire Eric, the network will not allow it as he is a big acquisition of sorts. Therefore, because she cannot fire him, he will now work full time at the commentary booth along side Taz and Tenay.
A similar thing could go for Hogan too. The network could say he is a big name and therefore is staying under contract, and must either lace up his boots, or become a manager if he wants to stay.
Just a thought?