Eric Bischoff Calls TNA PPV Concept The Dumbest Idea

Former WCW executive Eric Bischoff joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling - now Impact Wrestling – with fellow WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan in 2009. The deal saw the pair take up roles behind the curtain and regularly appear in front of the camera for the promotion. Bischoff's time with Impact Wrestling officially came to an end in early 2014, but he has now revealed a particular pay-per-view concept that he was not a fan of during his time with the company. 

"The Lockdown pay-per-view where every match was in a cage was like the dumbest damn idea," Bischoff said on the "83 Weeks" podcast. "I don't know whose idea it was, I'm sure I'm offending somebody whose last name is Jarrett, but man, I hated that idea. Nobody could explain to me why it made any sense. There was not one reasonable explanation."

The Lockdown pay-per-view was initially introduced by Impact Wrestling in 2005. The PPV concept saw every match take place inside a steel cage that surrounded the then-six-sided ring. The main event of the inaugural Lockdown event saw AJ Styles defeat Abyss in a Six Sides of Steel match to earn a shot at the NWA World's Heavyweight Championship. Notably, the pay-per-view was also known for introducing the Lethal Lockdown match; a variation of the classic WarGames match now utilized on WWE's main roster. Lockdown ultimately ran for twelve consecutive years, with the final show taped in London, England in 2016.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "83 Weeks" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.