Eric Bischoff Says Tony Khan Should Give Collision To Bryan Danielson
Eric Bischoff believes Bryan Danielson becoming a bigger part of creative is the “breath of fresh air” AEW needs.
Recently, Tony Khan commented that if anything ever happened to him, Danielson would be the man he wanted to take over the company in his absence.
Danielson has had a creative role in the company for some time now and has previously said he “loves” that aspect of his job, although it does take the star away from his family.
On the latest edition of 83 Weeks, Eric Bischoff spoke of his excitement of the idea of Danielson getting more involved in creative, saying there’s a lot of potential there.
“I am excited about the potential for sure. I don’t know Bryan Danielson at all. We’ve probably had brief conversations occasionally over the course of the years, especially when I was back there (WWE) for a minute in 2019, but here’s what I do know. I’ve watched his work. I watched him in the ring.
“I’m very impressed with him, but what I’m most excited about not so much as a performer, I think Bryan Danielson is knocking on the door of the end of his career, just age, injuries, all of the above, but I don’t think that’s where his real value is either.”
The former WCW President recalled that Vince McMahon was high on Danielson’s psychology when he was part of WWE.
“When I was working in WWE back in 2019, and I hope I’m not speaking out of school here. I don’t think I am because I’m doing it as respectfully as possible, but I know that Vince McMahon was very impressed with Bryan Danielson, his creative, his psychology.
“Vince mentioned to me that he was possibly interested in bringing in Bryan Danielson to be very involved in the creative side of things. Vince is a pretty bright guy and you can say whatever you want about him, but I think that suggests that there is a lot of great potential there.”
Bischoff believes that, if McMahon’s instincts were accurate, then Khan should utilise Danielson’s creative mind.
“I think if that potential exists, Bryan Danielson is three or four or five or 10 times more valuable to Tony writing, overseeing the creative of AEW whether it’s just for Collision or ultimately all of the shows because that’s not Tony’s strength.
“Tony wants it to be his strength. He wants to convince people it’s his strength. It’s not… In the amount of time that AEW has been with us, 48 months or 46 months, whatever it is, creative is not their strong suit. Have they had some great matches, but that’s not the same thing as great creative, is it? It’s just a great match.”
Bryan Danielson would be a “breath of fresh air” for AEW
Bischoff went on to say that Khan should give Danielson complete control of Collision to see what he can do.
“That is where the potential upside is long term for AEW. That’s the breath of fresh air, frankly, that AEW needs and if I were Tony, I would give that Collision show to Bryan, not just be my right hand man and let him bounce ideas off, give it to him.
“Say, ‘Here you go. Here’s your notepad. Here’s your computer. Here’s a pen. Here’s an office. Call me when you got a show ready’, and then go over it and go through it, and learn, and understand, and get an idea of a different kind of creative process or creative perspective than Tony currently has.”
“Give that thing to Bryan. Let’s see what he can do, and if he does what we all would hope he could do and prove that there is a better way to approach creative, then bring him into Dynamite and let him have a voice there as well.
“Maybe not the voice but a voice because it’s the creative that is the opportunity for Tony right now. It’s not bringing in Edge. It’s not bringing in anybody because that doesn’t matter and that’s been proven over and over and over again.”
Currently, Danielson is still an active performer in the ring, and most recently went to war with Ricky Starks in a Strap Match at All Out, although he has admitted there was an element of “smoke and mirrors” required as he had just come back from injury.
H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the above transcription.