Eric Bischoff Compares His Relationships With Shane McMahon & Stephanie McMahon, More

In the latest installment of his “83 Weeks” podcast, Eric Bischoff delved into his experiences feuding with Shane McMahon in the lead-up to WWE SummerSlam 2003, as well as their camaraderie and interactions.

Bischoff shared his enthusiasm about facing Shane McMahon at SummerSlam 2003, appreciating Shane’s intensity, physicality, passion, and talent. While concerned about his own in-ring capabilities, Bischoff looked forward to a compelling match and the opportunity to contribute to a storyline that would involve him taking an “ass-kicking” from Shane. He said,

“I was excited about it. I’ve always liked Shane. He’s so intense, he’s physical, he’s passionate, and he’s talented. I was a little concerned about you know, what is it I’m going to be able to do in that ring, because I never did learn how to wrestle and how to perform. Typically, when I got into the ring, I was typically just there to get my ass kicked and pay off a storyline. So, I was a little concerned about what I would do, but I knew I would get an ass-kicking, and I knew I would get it from Shane McMahon. He’s — I don’t want to say stiff, because that’s an understatement. [laughs] But I was excited about it. It was a great opportunity, and I know there would be a lot of focus on it and there would be a lot of story would back it up, so I was pretty excited about it, honestly.”

Reflecting on his rapport with Shane, Bischoff recounted their initial interaction when he joined WWE as a general manager. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity and conveyed his eagerness to collaborate with Shane, which led to a productive conversation. He said,

“I got along with Shane from day one. You know, I remember the first conversation I had with Shane when I first — not the first night that I got into WWE when I showed up and was announced as a general manager. But I think it was probably the following week. Shane was there and it was, you know, probably three or four in the afternoon which is kind of a quiet time. A little bit of a break in the action. And Shane was out at ringside, and I went up and approached him and said, ‘Shane, I’m really grateful for the opportunity to be here. I look forward to working with you.’ And we had a great conversation, and we got along from the moment we first started talking to each other.”

Bischoff added that unlike certain other family members, like Stephanie McMahon, who exhibited traces of resentment, Shane exhibited no signs of harboring any past grievances. Their relationship was amicable from the outset, marked by open conversations and occasional camaraderie after shows. He stated,

“I didn’t sense any of the — you know, there were some people like Stephanie I think, probably still to this day. There’s a little bit of — I don’t want to say resentment, but there was always the underlying current of, ‘This is the guy that tried to put my family out of business.’ Stephanie didn’t necessarily go out of her way to try to hide that. And I appreciated that because it was honest. She wasn’t phony about anything. I never got that impression with Shane. I never sensed that Shane harbored any resentment or baggage from the past, so to speak with regard to me. We got along great. We’d go out after the shows occasionally, not all the time. But occasionally we would go out and have cocktails, laugh and joke, just like you would with anybody else. So, I get along with Shane great from day one.”

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