Bischoff Discusses Hogan’s Well-Being, Goldberg’s Return? Warrior, More

In an interview with The Ross Report, Eric Bischoff revealed that he doesn’t think Goldberg should ever return to the ring. Here are highlights:

On working with the Ultimate Warrior in WCW: “He was one of, if not the most passionate person I’ve ever come across when it came to his character. His character. It doesn’t mean the [professional wrestling] business in general. It doesn’t mean working with everybody else. It didn’t mean, necessarily, give and take. But when it came to his vision of his character, he lived it [and] he breathed it. Obviously, we all know it, he lived it 24/7 and he was so intense and so passionate, I couldn’t help but respect it. With that said, he was so far out there in his approach to his character in terms of creating it and delivering it, not in terms of creating it, but delivering it in camera, that he had, in my experience, he had a challenge when it came to timing in every way. All anybody has to do is go back, and I’m sure it’s on the WWE Network somewhere, but look at his debut on WCW and what was originally supposed to be about a 12-minute opening, I think it was opening, what was supposed to be a 12-minute segment ended up being, like, 30 some odd minutes. And I’ve never done a hallucinogenic drug in my life, if I did, I would admit to it, but I’ve done a lot of other crap that I’ll admit to, but I’ve never done that. But I’m guessing that’s probably what it was like.”

On Warrior sending him faxes with creative and business ideas: “I would come home from a two or three day trip or whatever. I’d be on the road for however long and I’d come home and I had a fax [machine] in my house and he had my fax number. And I’d literally come home and there’d be like 160 pages of faxed Ultimate Warrior storylines and cartoons and movie premises and commercials and endorsements and sponsorship ideas. I’d be gone for three days and it’d take me three days to get through his faxes. It was crazy!”

On how Hulk Hogan is doing: “We hear from each other everyday in one way, shape, or form. He’s doing great. He [has] never been healthier and happier emotionally and mentally than he is right now. Ever. And I think that part of it is what he has gone through and how he [has] had to grow and how he has had to look at himself and look at the world and look at what he wants out of it and who he really is beyond just the character. And I think he [has] found a true sense of self, I guess, is the best way to say it without sounding too enlightened. But he’s happier than I’ve ever heard him.” Bischoff reflected, “now, he’s just solid as a rock. He [has] got a great outlook on life. 75% of the conversations and communication he and I have have nothing to do with the [professional wrestling] business. It’s just life and how we’re growing and what we’re doing. And, like I said, I’ve never heard him happier.”

On if Bill Goldberg should return to the ring: “Nope, and I’ll tell you why. Bill and I were really, really close through a family member and we didn’t have the kind of professional barriers that we would normally have. I would say to him, ‘look, Bill. Keep the mystique. Keep the memory alive.’ Because people want to see Bill on the cover of that video game, they see Bill Goldberg from the late 90s. They see that monster, that machine, that energy that was so capable and could deliver 110%. Bill [has] reached an age now where he’ll still put in 110%, but it won’t look like the same 110% that we remember. when you hang on a little too long, you disappoint your fans and deep, deep down inside, you’re disappointing yourself and that’s the part that hurts you the most. And I think it’s better to embrace the legacy and build on that and enjoy that. Watch the WWE Network. Watch a DVD. Relive that. Don’t try to relive it now because you won’t even meet your own expectations and you won’t meet the expectations of the audience. And that’s not what you want. That’s not how you want to end your career.”

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