News

Eric Bischoff Claims “Alvarez & Meltzer Are A Cancer To The Wrestling Business”

Eric Bischoff

Eric Bischoff has torn into noted wrestling journalists and blames them for the CM Punk situation turning sour in AEW.

CM Punk’s time in AEW came to an end following another backstage fight he was involved in at All In with Jack Perry. Previously, Punk had a backstage altercation with The Elite at All Out 2022 which led to his prolonged absence from the company in addition to an injury suffered during his All Out match with Jon Moxley.

Following Punk’s problems with The Elite, the wrestling news world was awash with stories as the rumour mill went into overdrive. The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez were perceived to be against Punk for much of this time due to their relationship with The Elite whether or not those perceptions were fair or not.

Eric Bischoff slams Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez

Speaking on his 83 Weeks podcast, Eric Bischoff expressed his view that Alvarez and Meltzer have to take their share of the blame for the Punk situation and says he thinks they are bad for the wrestling business as a whole:

“Look, you can say whatever you want, you can believe whatever you want. If you’re listening to this, you could agree with me, you could disagree with me. I don’t really give a sh*t, to be honest. But Alvarez and Meltzer are cancer to the wrestling business.

“I think a lot of the issues that Tony Khan has had over the last year, particularly with regard to Punk and some of the bullsh*t that went on backstage is at least 50% because of the bullsh*t that guys like Meltzer and Alvarez put out there in the sh*t that they stir up as a result, that ends up and I’ve said this for the almost six years we’ve been doing this show.

“That stuff that they write about as much as it doesn’t matter, because 90% of the wrestling audience doesn’t read all that sh*t. It ends up creating issues backstage and in some cases in management. And this is going to sound bizarre, but I am probably more supportive of Phil Brooks, CM Punk, in terms of why things went south in AEW, because I do think Meltzer And Alvarez are minimal, at least half responsible for that. And Tony gets the other half because he didn’t manage it.

“These people were bad for business when I was president of WCW, before I became president of WCW, when I was a third-string announcer in in WCW. They were cancer for the business for that same reason. And we saw it manifest with regard to Punk and the bullsh*t that was going on backstage, they had a lot to do with it. I do think they’re cancer, I think they’re bad for business.

“I think that the people that support them should really think twice about it if they truly love the business, or want to support it, because I think overall, the two of them combined are just, they’re horrible. They’re horrible people.”

Bryan Alvarez previously co-authored the book “The Death of WCW” which is very critical of Eric Bischoff’s leadership of the company which ultimately led to its demise in 2001.

If you use any quotes from this article please credit original source and then h/t with a link back to TJR Wrestling for the transcription.