In an interview with Total Wrestling Magazine, Eric Bischoff talked about wrestling talent today vs. talent back in the day. He additionally talked about how the Wellness Policy has affected today’s product. The highlights are down below
Today’s Wrestlers Vs. Past Generations: “Talent are far more athletic than I ever remember them being; they have the ability to do things that just are mind boggling. One thing that I notice is there’s still [not] a lot of character development; the young talent nowadays are working so hard to achieve a five star match physically in the ring that at the time the feeling gets lost in the process and the character as well.”
The Wellness Policy: “The wellness program has certainly had an effect on talent and how some people perceive talent. I think the standards have changed for talent too. You used to in order to be successful as a professional wrestler have to be at least 6 foot 2 and weigh at least 300 lbs. Nowadays, you try and find someone who fits that bill and there’s very little people; all of a sudden now, expectations have been changed…you can weigh 180, 190 pounds and as long as you’re gifted athletically and know how to tell a story and be good on the microphone, you can be a star. It has opened up the business as there is way more talent that fits this bill than the old style. It’s way more diverse around the world.”
