Eric Bischoff Shares Initial Reaction to TNA Wrestling

Eric Bischoff was a prominent name on TNA Wrestling for years, despite having low expectations of the company.

Bischoff joined TNA (now Impact Wrestling) in 2009 and was a key part in bringing in Hulk Hogan in 2010.

The former WCW magnate and Raw General Manager would remain with the company, mostly working behind the scenes until his departure in 2014

Bischoff would work for TNA Wrestling for years, all the time hating the name of the promotion.

In his new book ‘Grateful‘ Bischoff recalled being hesitant to join TNA.

“To be honest, I was never interested, at any level or at any time, in potentially working for TNA. First and foremost, I hated the TNA name (‘T and A’ – do you get it? It’s just so clever.). When I heard about it for the first time, I thought, ‘This just reeks of Vince Russo.’”

Russo was TNA’s Head of Creative at the time but of course, had no role in the naming of the promotion.

Bischoff added that the idea among fans that TNA was a ‘spiritual successor’ to WCW was “ridiculous.”
Not Wanted

When approached about the opportunity to join TNA, Bischoff didn’t leap at the chance of a return to wrestling.

In his memoirs, the WWE Hall of Famer said that the success he and business partner Jason Hervey were having with their Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment made a return to wrestling seem unnecessary.

“Jason and I were having so much success, with BHE, that I doubted I would even have time to get involved in wrestling again.

“I was basically thinking, ‘Okay – I went through the WCW journey, and it didn’t end up the way I wanted it to end up, but the WWE opportunity came along, and it was a way for me to kind of write the end of my own story.”

Bischoff writes that Dixie Carter, the then-President of TNA was against bringing him in, believing that her role as the ‘female Vince McMahon‘ would be jeopardised by bringing him in.