In a recent episode of his “83 Weeks” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff offered an unflattering review of the game between the Scissor Ace and The Elite at the AEW vs NJPW: Forbidden Door 2024 event.
Bischoff remarked that he would never have aired such a match during the 1992 WCW Saturday Night recordings due to its apparent lack of quality. He insisted that The Elite, as symbols of AEW, should maintain a certain level of performance, which in his opinion, was not met.
The ex-WCW President also took a shot at the little effort The Elite appeared to show throughout the battle, drawing comparisons to subpar performances made from a long-distance location. Bischoff declared,
“It was atrocious. If such a performance happened on WCW Saturday Night in 1992, which was pre-recorded, we would have opted for a reshoot or not broadcast it at all. It was simply abysmal. They are considered the best. They represent a company where the best wrestle. The match was terrible. It looked like they didn’t care, like they shouted in their performance from across a parking lot. I find it dreadfully horrid. Is it just me? I want to know what everyone else’s opinion is. Perhaps I’m mistaken. Maybe I missed something significant. But my stand is, that match was terribly executed.”
Additionally, Bischoff questioned The Young Bucks’ physical fitness and ring skills, suggesting that their performance did not meet his projected expectations. He indicated their performance to be just slightly above average and voiced his disappointment with their current status in broadcast events.
In Bischoff’s words, “If you assign The Elite real office jobs, and train them on simple tasks like operating a computer or fetching coffee, they will probably be better off, because their current TV appearances are utterly disappointing. I haven’t yet figured out what is so appealing about these guys. Their physique appears as if they haven’t visited a gym in half a year. The work was shoddy, slightly above mediocre.”
Regardless of Bischoff’s pointed critique, The Elite is sure to be a significant part of AEW’s regular schedule for a foreseeable future.