Eric Bischoff doesn’t sound shocked by Sheamus’ WWE exit at all. To him, this is what happens when business catches up with even a decorated veteran.
While speaking on 83 Weeks, Conrad Thompson brought up the report that Sheamus is leaving WWE after the company allegedly asked him to take a major pay cut. According to Conrad, Sheamus turned that down, and WWE then moved to cancel his contract.
“It came out over the weekend, Eric, that Sheamus is leaving WWE. Now, there was some, I believe, inaccurate reporting saying that his contract was coming to an end. That was said in a way where it almost sounded like it was expiring. In reality, the truth is WWE approached Sheamus and asked him to take a hefty pay cut and he turned that down. And as such he is having his contract cancelled by WWE.”
Bischoff’s reaction was blunt. He didn’t treat it like some wrestling-only issue or a shocking betrayal. He said that is just how business works when someone is no longer producing at the same level a company is paying for.
“Every business. Every business. I don’t care how good of a salesman you were when you were in your 30s. If you’re 50 and you’re not turning paper, guess what, dude? You’re baggage. It’s just the circle of freaking life.”
That may sound harsh, but Bischoff wasn’t burying Sheamus’ career. He actually went the other way and said fans should take another look at just how strong Sheamus’ WWE run really was.
“I for one hope that people re-evaluate Sheamus’s career. I saw somebody the other day say, ‘Hey, when you really look at it in its totality and just take a step back, Sheamus had a darn near picture perfect WWE run.’ I mean, there’s not much that that guy didn’t do. I think he won every title except the Intercontinental title. He’s checked every box. He’s kind of done it all.”
Then came the bigger question. If Sheamus is really done with WWE, where does he go next? Conrad asked whether he could work Japan, Mexico, TNA, AEW, or just move on with his life. Bischoff said he does not know Sheamus well enough to guess, but after 19 years in WWE, he thinks money may not be the only thing driving him anymore.
“I don’t know Sheamus well enough to guess, but 19 years with WWE, been a world champion, covered some ground, made some money. If money is not a driver for him, and I suspect it might not be after 19 years, if money isn’t the driver… it’s about the performance. It’s about being out there in front of a crowd and getting that energy and getting that shot of adrenaline that you can’t get anywhere else.”
Still, Bischoff also does not think Sheamus needs to chase every booking just to stay active. After years of WWE stadiums and big arenas, he said working in front of much smaller crowds probably would not give Sheamus the same rush.
“For someone like Sheamus who’s been in front of 20,000 and 30,000 or 40,000 or 50,000 people, wrestling in front of 1,200 people is just not that big a thrill.”
So if Bischoff were in Sheamus’ spot, he would not be rushing into a full-time grind somewhere else. He would use the WWE legacy, pick the right opportunities, and make the appearances feel special.
“I would leverage that success and I would pick and choose my shots. If I got a big shot down in AAA and it sounded like fun and I got a chance to work with somebody that I never worked with before or somebody that I had worked with before but I want to work with again and that opportunity was available to me in AAA or if it was available to me as a one-off in AEW or even New Japan, take it, have fun, come home with a bag of money, have a great time and some memories and wait for the next one.”
That lines up with the bigger story around Sheamus’ WWE exit. We had previously reported that TKO is treating WWE contracts more like a sports franchise, where older stars with bigger deals may not get the same money if the company believes their best days are behind them.
That is why Sheamus’ reported pay cut request may have been the breaking point. WWE may have wanted him back, but not at the old number. Sheamus apparently did not like the new number, and now his nearly 20-year run looks like it is coming to an end.
Bischoff’s take is basically that Sheamus already won. He had the titles, the moments, the money, and the run most wrestlers never get. If WWE is done, Bischoff thinks the smarter play may be to stop chasing the weekly grind and only show up when the right stage, opponent, and paycheck are there.
Do you agree with Eric Bischoff that Sheamus should pick special appearances instead of jumping into another full-time run? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments.
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