Former WCW/WWE/TNA star Eric Bischoff recently spoke about the WWE Cruiserweight Division and the brand split on episode 23 of his podcast, Bischoff on Wrestling.
On how today’s WWE Cruiserweight Division compares to the WCW Cruiserweight Division:
“It’s hard to make that comparison because we did it first. You can never be first, again. No matter what it is. Whoever plants the flag first wins. Everything else will be judged against it. It never quite has the same impact. Even if you come along second and you do it really, really well it doesn’t quite feel the same. So, it’s a hard comparison to make. I will say what I hope is objective. It doesn’t quite feel as significant because they don’t make it feel quite as significant. They’re not quite disciplined enough yet in the way they present it. I’ve said the same thing about the brand split. Quite frankly, I’ve forgotten about the brand split already. It’s the same thing that happened with the previous attempt when WWE tried to do the brand split. It just doesn’t feel like two different organizations.”
On why he doesn’t feel the brand split is working as well as it could be:
“Maybe it’s just me and my expectations but when I think of a “brand split” I think of the drama and the competition that should go on between the two. Not just two separate shows with two separate rosters. However great they are or great the storylines are in between them. The drama and the intensity of the drama I harken back to, again, because this is what I know and live and made my name at doing. The competition between WCW and WWE was so intense. You’re never going to be able to recreate that in today’s world. I would love to see elements of that competitiveness between the two. Not just in terms of, “Whose got the best roster?” Or, “Who puts on the best show from week to week?” But the drama that goes along with that. It was that drama of, “Who’s going to jump next?” Or, “Who’s going to make the transition?” It was the story of that that really elevated wrestling to the point that it was in the late-90’s. That’s, I guess, what I am referring to. Again, that’s probably my own fault for having that expectation.”
You can listen to the podcast here.
