Eric Bischoff Lambastes AEW’s CM Punk Situation As ‘A Train Wreck’

WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff is one of the most well-known and respected pro-wrestling veterans. There is unquestionably a lot of value in Easy E’s understanding of how the pro wrestling industry operates. Although, Bischoff is recognized for holding divisive opinions on a variety of subjects, and that includes the stars he can get behind.

Eric Bischoff recently spoke with Chris Van Vliet on Insight about a variety of subjects. He talked about CM Punk’s tenure in AEW during that time. After the fight at AEW All Out, the controversy surrounding CM Punk, which began earlier this year, only grew worse.

Following an altercation backstage with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks after the AEW All Out pay-per-view, CM Punk’s future in professional wrestling is still uncertain. He was stripped of the World Title and suspended. Despite rumors to the contrary, he is reportedly in negotiations with AEW about a contract buyout.

When Eric Bischoff was asked about the wide range of controversies surrounding CM Punk, he referred to it as a “train wreck.” He also stated that he wasn’t a big fan of CM Punk to begin with and deemed him to be “over-hyped.”

“It is a train wreck. That’s all I know. I wasn’t a big fan of Punk to begin with. I think he was over-hyped. I think there was a great mystique. I don’t want to take that away from him, there was a tremendous mystique. When he dropped that pipe bomb, that was like rebelling against the man.

Everybody in America at one point in time deep down wishes that they could do what he did. That is what created that mystique, and that mystique lived, even though, you know, he showed up to the UFC a couple of times and got humiliated. It didn’t matter.

He still had the mystique with the wrestling fans. When he got to AEW, I was excited because I was interested to see how that would work. But if you go back and you listen to his opening promo, what did he do? He ripped Hulk Hogan. If you have to get yourself over with that kind of cheap heat, you’re not over. You don’t know how to get over.

He was living off the momentum that was created for him in the WWE. He was living off of the mystique. He had it in his hands. I think that the way he was produced, his creative, I didn’t find it compelling at all. He is out there wrestling nobodies.”

Moving on in their discussion, Eric Bischoff also brought up whether CM Punk increased AEW’s viewership. He claimed that CM Punk started out strong before gradually losing viewers week after week.

“I know it’s sometimes unfair, but go back and look at the ratings. Go back and look at the impact that CM Punk had on television ratings. It is the only thing that is black and white. He came out strong, and slowly week after week after week they continued to lose the audience. The audience came, they saw, they left, and they didn’t come back. What does that tell you?”

Additionally, there is a strong backlash against CM Punk’s potential WWE comeback. Triple H also vehemently discouraged from signing CM Punk. Stay tuned to Ringside News for more.

What’s your take on this story? Sound off in the comments.