Eric Bischoff Talks X-Division, Hogan Vs. Sting & More

iMPACT Wrestling's Eric Bischoff was one of the featured guests on this week's live edition of Monday Night Mayhem. Here are some interview highlights courtesy of Paterson, MNM's associate producer & official correspondent:

What wrestling fans can expect from the X-Division now that the Destination X Pay-Per-View has come & gone: "One of the things that confused/frustrated me when i first got here was the X-Division. One of the things I first talked about in creative meetings was 'What is the X-Division? Can someone please define it to me?' It really never got a straight answer. One of the things we have realized in the last couple of weeks is that everyone knows that in the X-Division, that style of wrestling works really well, but it's incumbent on us, as producers, if we want to showcase that style of wrestling to clearly define it in a way that fans can understand, and then have the discipline to stick with it."

Whether the upcoming iMPACT Wrestling TV tapings (in Huntsville, AL, Knoxville, TN, & Macon, GA) should be seen as an experimental trial by TNA & Spike TV or something that will be an long-term investment for the viewing audience: "It's a little bit of both. We knew when we went on the road last March that we wanted to prove a point. We wanted to show people that we could pull it off from a financial point of view. We wanted to prove to the network that it would have an impact on the overall quality of the show, and we were successful, which led to what we are going to do this fall. Hopefully, what we do this fall is going to prove that it has long-term viability & sustainability. And if we are successful, as we were in March, my hope individually is Spike TV & the executives at TNA decide that this is the best strategy for this brand. I think that's the one thing that will change the trajectory of this brand * this company for the better, and it is taking the show on the road."

What he feels would be the market for a proposed Hulk Hogan/Sting in-ring showdown and why, if it happened, could be a "phenomenal event": "It's hard to say. It's a little bit early, but if you look at the fan reaction to the storyline so far, I would have to say that the market would be pretty good for it. I think you have got two icons, two of the biggest names in the history of the business, who are probably nearing the end of their respective careers. I think naturally people would love to see that match for a lot of reasons. There will be some that probably does not want to see that match for their own reasons, but I think the storyline will ultimately dictate how big the market is for that match. Given the performances that we have seen out of Hulk Hogan & Sting as of late, I've got high expectations. If everything else is right, and Hulk is feeling it, and he's in good enough shape, and Sting is feeling it and really wants it, I think it could be a phenomenal event if it occurs."

Source: MondayNightMayhem.com