Eric Bischoff Doesn't Spare Jack Perry, Suggests Course Of Action For AEW
AEW President Tony Khan announced last Sunday that Jack Perry had been suspended indefinitely for his backstage altercation with CM Punk at All In. Khan noted such punishment came after an investigation conducted by a disciplinary committee, the results of which also recommended the termination of Punk. However, Eric Bischoff — a frequent AEW critic — believes Perry's actions warranted harsher consequences.
"Just cut the guy [Perry] loose," Bischoff stated on his "83 Weeks" podcast. "First of all, you're talking about a thimble full of talent to begin with. He's really only there because his dad [Luke Perry] was a soap opera star — that's it. Otherwise, he's making $200 a night on the indie circuit somewhere. This guy is not a star, he'll never be a star," he continued. "By virtue of the fact that he thinks using real glass is going to get him heat, [it] should tell you everything you need to know about his potential. He doesn't understand the very fundamentals of the business."
Bischoff argued that AEW would finally be putting its foot down by giving Perry the boot and that Khan could start with a fresh slate after enduring an endless carousel of backstage fights and rifts between talents over the past year or so. "These are things that can all be addressed and be fixed, but not if you're constantly inhaling bad air," Bischoff said, addressing Khan. "Just wipe this thing clean, chalk it up as a learning experience. It is a learning experience because I have empathy for Tony — he's learning on the job."
Losing Control of the Process
Despite sharing empathy for Khan, Bischoff was critical of the AEW boss for not clearly defining Punk's backstage role during his time in AEW. After all, the entire Perry vs. Punk conflict began when the latter reportedly denied Perry's request to use real glass for a backstage angle with HOOK last month. Bischoff believes that Punk was out of line telling another talent what to do — unless he had the authority to do so.
"Punk had no business expressing his freaking opinion, at least not in a way that would give people the impression that he has a voice — unless he does," Bischoff stressed. "Whose fault is that? That's Tony Khan's fault. That's losing control of the process — when you've got a talent telling another talent what he or she can or cannot do."
Bischoff also slammed Perry for his absurdity for thinking that he could get "real heel heat" by dropping HOOK — his opponent at All In — through the windshield of a car, using real glass, and then uttering the words "Cry me a river" into the camera. Perry was directing those words at Punk, triggering the backstage altercation that followed.
"Using real glass in a stunt like that? Why?" What is it going to get you?" asked Bischoff. "Just weigh it: What are the potential risks? What are the potential rewards? The potential reward is zero. Nobody is going to, 'Oh, I can't believe that Jack Perry used real glass!' Nobody cares."