During the latest edition of the 83 Weeks podcast, Bully Ray commented on being offered the Aces and Eights storyline pitch from Eric Bischoff, and how he came to embrace the role as the faction leader that would ultimately take Bully Ray to the main event level in TNA (Impact Wrestling).
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
Bully Ray on Eric Bischoff pitching him the Aces and Eights storyline in TNA: “I was never a fan of Sons of Anarchy. I never really watched it. I had heard about it because it was so popular. The boys would be talking about it and it was out there in mainstream media. I was never into the whole biker scene. Not my thing. I know Eric [Bischoff] was and a lot of the guys liked to ride. I’ll never forget where I was standing when Eric approached me backstage at TNA when we used to record at Universal. Me and Eric had been establishing more of a relationship since he had taken over creative. I was doing the Bully thing, but I was doing my version of Bully, and not what was about to be presented to me. Eric said to me, ‘Did you ever see yourself as the leader of a motorcycle group?’ In my head, I’m like, ‘This is the worst fucking idea that’s ever been told to me.’ I’m not into the motorcycle thing. Just thoughts of like The Undertaker’s motorcycle gang group or any other motorcycle gang group that had ever been in pro wrestling comes to mind and I’m like, ‘No, this is not what I want to do. This is not my vision of Bully Ray.’ But if the booker is coming up to you with a plan, you know he’s pulling you on the side for a reason. I think my exact line was, ‘If you think that’s the best utilization of the character Bully Ray, I’m on board.’”
On embracing his role in the faction and where it ranks among his career accomplishments: “Coming up in the wrestling business old school, if the booker, the owner, the promoter, comes to you with an idea in mind, that means they have a vision and they think you’re one of the best people, at least in the group of decisions, who could portray this role. To say no would have never been a good idea. You never like to say no, so I looked at it as a challenge. It was a hell of an opportunity with myself and Eric working together along with the rest of the guys, I think we knocked it out of the park. It’s a body of work that I’m as proud of in my career as my tag-team accomplishments.”
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