Eric Bischoff Debuts as the RAW General Manager! 07/15/2002 (Part 1)

[mikejenz]

Jerry Lawler: "they're hugging"
Jim Ross: "probably picking each others pockets"

[nickrodely]

Jerry Lawler: "I used to sit in the same broadcast booth when Vince McMahon would wish death on Eric Bischoff!" 🤣

[kevinpeoples]

Regardless of what you think of Bischoff behind the scenes, his heel character on TV was one of the best.

[nativewood]

He loved this. He said he no longer had to deal with the backstage politics. Here he was a talent and performer, no more headaches or business.

[brianm]

Props to Vince for bringing an old arch nemesis in. I thought bischoff was a great gm and this debut was surreal.

[djihn]

"I think they're picking each others pockets" -JR.... lmao good Ole JR was awesome...

[KingKhanate]

I met Bischoff at a fan meet and greet in Philly this past year, and I had to ask him how he felt about, after waging a war against McMahon and the WWF for the better part of a decade, how he felt about actually being hired by him.
Bischoff said he actually wasn’t surprised when Vince made the call, considering that when it came to potential money makers and people who knew business, who better than one of the only men in history to have managed to get one over on him?

[mickaelkarakac]

Young fans that are watching WWE right now will probably never understand how iconic this moment was. Eric Bischoff has been the only guy that came really close to beat up WWE forever. His on-screen character was priceless, a real good heel manager that left a big impression and that's why people still remember him, over 20 years later.

[alexloyola]

This is the first guy I think of when I think of a RAW GM. He was awesome as an on-screen character and really seemed like he didn’t have any problems doing what was asked of him. Ate a huge piece of humble pie and was willing to swallow his pride to work for his rival.

[toddrichardson]

Truly, the ONLY RAW GM that ever mattered....

[darnelldarden]

Never thought I would see the day Bischoff walked in WWE but I’m glad he did. He had the last good run as a heel authority figure. Vince was a real boss he put WCW out of business and hired his biggest rival.

[ego]

The look on Eric Bischoff's face as he walks out on RAW for the first time is priceless😂🤣 The way he pounds his chest just adds to it!

[DeAngeloStevens]

The Summer of 2002 when Cartoon Network pulled the plug on Sailor Moon my favorite Anime of ALL TIME and decided to make room like Transformers Armada, Codename Kids Next Door.

[OSCARESCAPA]

If you are a life fan of professional wrestling this was one of those moments that you will savor in history. Its 2023, over 20 years later, and I still remember this moment. The day hell froze over, the man who swore to destroy WWF was hired by the same company. That hug was made in hell! Eric Bischoff ended up being one of the people I will always admire from this world

[DeAnoJackson]

Man, I remember watching this live as a kid. When Eric came out during Booker's interview, my brothers and I were fucking floored. We never even once imagined we'd see that man on WWF/E TV. This was seriously the most shocking thing I've ever seen in pro wrestling

[richcymru]

2004 - Hell freezes over when Eric Brischoff works for WWE.

2024 - Eric Bischoff is in the WWE Hall of Fame and Vince McMahon will never be.

Crazy how things turn out.

[mikeyoungblood]

Just got chills watching this in April 2024!

[jdolaktv]

“Tell me, I didn’t just see that!”

Everyone’s exact reaction on this night.

[christiandwyer]

Vince went from wishing death on Bischoff when he was a commentator in the 90’s to hugging and embracing him. I was stunned, to say the very least. Surreal doesn’t begin to describe this moment.

[jrcarter]

I remember Bischoff coming out to "Back in Black." Too bad there are probably no videos of this with that left.