Eric Bischoff Calls Critics ‘Mentally and Emotionally Stunted’ Over Bully Ray Backlash

Eric Bischoff isn’t staying quiet after Bully Ray caught heat for his blunt comments about WWE talent releases — and he made it clear he thinks critics completely missed the point.

The backlash started after Bully Ray made strong remarks about NXT and LFG talent who were released, saying those wrestlers should have worked harder and taken their opportunities more seriously. Those comments quickly spread online, with fans debating whether his words were too harsh toward wrestlers trying to rebuild their careers.

That reaction became a major talking point during a recent episode of 83 Weeks, where the hosts brought up the controversy and asked Bischoff directly what he thought about the online response. Bischoff didn’t hesitate, immediately pushing back against critics and arguing that many people reacting online misunderstood the situation and turned it into something bigger than it actually was.

“I think the people that are taking offense and making any kind of the issue about this are socially divergent, mentally and emotionally stunted… and are just clinging together on this thing called the internet wrestling community so they can just virtue signal their asses off and get their opinions across and say things that hopefully people who are just as pathetic as they are will all chime in and like and comment on what they had to say. That's what this is.”

Bischoff didn’t just defend Bully Ray — he also explained why he believes the original comments were taken out of context. According to him, Bully’s words likely came from his perspective as someone working in a coaching role, where blunt feedback is often expected. He said that when talent are speaking with coaches or mentors, the tone is usually more direct because the goal is improvement, not comfort.

“And first of all, I mean it's look, Bully I'm guessing I wasn't there… I'm guessing that that interview was within the context of Bully's involvement in in the WWE as a coach, right? So, let's look at that. So, if you're asking someone a question in that environment or in that context, of course you're going to get an answer that you would probably say to someone who is coming to you after just being released.”

Bischoff continued by pointing out that losing momentum in wrestling can happen for many different reasons, and sometimes it comes down to small details that fans may not even notice. He stressed that reflection and accountability are often part of growth in a competitive environment like WWE. That’s why, in his view, Bully Ray’s comments shouldn’t automatically be seen as attacks — but rather as tough advice based on experience.

“It could be any one of a hundred things. Maybe you did walk by somebody that you should have stopped and paid some respect to and you didn't recognize them or you're on your phone or whatever. So, this is not an insult… [stuff] happens, but maybe that was it. Maybe you just walked by that person on a bad day.”

The discussion shows how heated the reaction to Bully Ray’s comments became, especially as fans debated whether his words were aimed at specific wrestlers or simply a broader message about professionalism in wrestling.

Now, with Bischoff stepping in to defend him, the conversation has shifted from just Bully Ray’s original remarks to a wider debate about accountability, coaching, and how criticism is interpreted in the wrestling world.