• “I see excuses for matches and that’s not a storyline” – WWE Hall Of Famer Says AEW Doesn’t Have Well Structured Stories
Despite appearing on AEW TV a few times, Eric Bischoff is considered to be amongst the toughest critics of Tony Khan’s All Elite Wrestling these days, alongside the likes of Jim Cornette.
On a recent episode of ’83 Weeks’, the 2021 WWE Hall of Famer criticized AEW for their poorly crafted stories but also explained that his critique is always constructive.
Here’s what Bischoff had to say:
“Hey, I’ve criticized myself plenty on this show for things that I wish I would have done differently or things that I’ve learned subsequent to my time in WCW that I wished I had the knowledge or the the instinct or insight that I have now, 25 years ago. It would have been a better show.
But there were certainly random matches that didn’t have any story in WCW. I’m not denying that. But I’m also going to point out that I don’t think I ever said in any of my commentary about AEW that I believe that every match should have a story.
When you’re introducing new talent, or when you’ve got talent that you haven’t really matched up storyline wise with an opponent yet, but you want to expose that talent. You want the audience to become familiar with that talent. You want to establish that talent. Sure, put them in there in a match or put people in matches that don’t really have a story, but use that time in non-storyline matches to give us some real backstory and information about said talent. Make us care. It doesn’t always have to be in the form of a storyline, a traditional structured act one, act two, act three kind of story.
If I’ve ever given the impression that I thought every match on Nitro had a storyline, forgive me now. I never meant to. My issue and my comments about AEW and the creative behind it is really about your top matches that don’t have sufficient story or structure, or at least a compelling one. There’s always an excuse for a match.
There’s always an angle, you know, your traditional, from back in the beginning of time, you know, an inciting moment that creates a match or creates a storyline, but your top matches your A, B, C and D storylines, that’s different. I’ve seen a lot of matches, a lot of storylines, well, what AEW considers a storyline, that I feel are just nothing more than excuses for a match. They’re not well crafted stories.
That’s my criticism. It’s not a shot. I’m not making fun of anybody. I’m not trying to belittle anybody. I’m pointing out that I believe in today’s competitive environment, with television being what it is, that if you want to, pay attention Tony, build and grow your audience, you’re going to have to do it with well crafted, compelling, well structured storylines, and I don’t see it.
I see excuses for matches and that’s not a storyline. So that’s my critique, constructive as I hope it is interpreted, but clearly won’t be.”
WATCH: Liv Morgan’s Buns Exposed:
• On This Day In Pro Wrestling History (November 1, 2012) – Old School Wrestling Veteran Passed Away
On this day in 2012, we lost Old School Wrestling Veteran Brad Armstrong (Real name: Robert Bradley James) at the age of 50 due to an undisclosed medical issue.
Brad Armstrong was the son of WWE Hall of Famer “Bullet” Bob Armstrong and the brother of fellow Old School Wrestling Veterans Scott Armstrong, Steve Armstrong & “The Road Dogg” Jesse James (Brian Armstrong).
He spent the majority of his professional wrestling career in NWA Territories such as Georgia Championship Wrestling & Jim Crockett Promotions, later sold to Ted Turner and renamed World Championship Wrestling.
† REST IN PEACE BRAD ARMSTRONG
June 15, 1962 – November 1, 2012
