• WWE Legend Won The World Title Too Soon Because Of Hulk Hogan
Eric Bischoff has admitted that The Giant (WWE Legend The Big Show aka Paul Wight) was pushed too quickly in WCW – and that Hulk Hogan was the driving force behind his early world title win.
Speaking on his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff said that giving Wight the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in his very first match at age 23 was “too much, too soon.”
“If it were up to me alone, I’d have built anticipation slower,” he said. “But Hulk saw Paul as the next Andre (the Giant). He wanted to pass that torch immediately.”
Bischoff noted that Hogan’s influence on creative decisions was enormous at the time, and his endorsement fast-tracked The Giant’s rise.
“Hulk really believed in Paul,” Bischoff said. “He thought he was seeing the second coming of Andre – and in some ways, he wasn’t wrong. But we probably should’ve waited.”
• Mickie James Reveals What WWE Officials Said About Female Wrestlers During The Divas Era
Mickie James has admitted that the “Divas Era” of WWE often left her conflicted, especially when she noticed the company shifting focus from trained wrestlers to hiring models.
On Chris Van Vliet’s Insight podcast, the former multi-time champion said she began feeling frustrated during the mid-to-late 2000s as WWE emphasized looks over in-ring ability.
“I was like, this isn’t what I signed up for,” James recalled. “[WWE Officials] started saying things like, ‘Maybe the girls shouldn’t throw punches,’ and I’m thinking, ‘What? I worked hard on my punches!’”
She added that while some women from that period, such as Candice Michelle and Kelly Kelly, worked hard to earn respect, others “didn’t care about wrestling at all.”
“It was tough because I wanted to be known as the greatest Women’s Champion of all time – not just another Diva,” James said.
• Maven Reveals Why WWE Fired Him, Admits It Was The Right Decision
On the “Mic Check with Mr. Anderson” podcast, Maven spoke openly about his WWE departure, revealing that the company had warned him repeatedly to take his in-ring development more seriously. According to Maven, WWE staff and agents constantly told him to get more reps before shows, particularly under the guidance of respected names like Fit Finlay and Dean Malenko. But Maven admitted he ignored that advice.
“I wrestled my six-minute match, and then I did everything else wrestlers do,” he said. Instead of training in the ring, Maven would hit the gym, meet up with friends, or go out at night. He used a colorful analogy, saying he was like an employee who only made the coffee at Starbucks but refused to stock shelves, take out the garbage, or learn anything else about the job.
With surprising self-awareness, Maven said he deserved the firing. “Would I fire me? Yeah. I’d fire me sooner,” he admitted. He explained that he lacked maturity and perspective at the time, and that he took WWE for granted.
One of the most shocking revelations was that Maven simply stopped showing up to HWA – WWE’s developmental territory – after being assigned there. “I just stopped showing up,” he said. “They never told me to stop going. I just… didn’t go anymore.” He said the company didn’t reprimand him or even ask where he was, something he found incredible in hindsight.
After his release, Maven said he spent more than a decade feeling bitter, angry, and resentful. “I was bitter for years,” he said. “I blamed my lack of success on everyone other than me. But the truth is – I didn’t make it because of me.”
