Eric Bischoff Reacts to Johnny Laurinaitis Resurfacing At Public Signings Amid WWE Controversy

John Laurinaitis — known to wrestling fans as Johnny Ace — is back in public at autograph signings, and not everyone is thrilled about it.

The former WWE executive, who was previously named and later dropped in civil litigation connected to Vince McMahon, has quietly returned to convention appearances. That development sparked discussion on 83 Weeks, where Eric Bischoff was asked to weigh in on Laurinaitis stepping back into the public wrestling space. Bischoff didn’t dodge the controversy. He acknowledged the gravity of the situation and made it clear he isn’t pretending it’s clean or simple.

“Johnny put himself in the position Johnny was in. It is what it is. It’s an ugly situation.”

While some fans online have called out promoters and conventions for booking Laurinaitis, Bischoff avoided jumping into a moral debate. Instead, he drew a line between personal association and public condemnation.

“I’m not going to judge him. I do choose who I associate with. That’s different. But I’m not going to sit here and pretend I know everything, or that I have all the facts.”

Bischoff also addressed what he sees as a pattern of online outrage when controversial figures reappear.

“I don’t want to dive in that pool. The internet outrage pool. Because once you jump in there, it never ends.”

He went even further, suggesting that many critics may not be as flawless as they claim.

“We’re all guilty of some pretty nasty stuff if we’re honest. Maybe not to that degree, maybe not in the headlines. But none of us are perfect.”

The conversation wasn’t about defending Laurinaitis. It was about acknowledging the controversy while refusing to turn it into a public spectacle without all the facts laid out. For now, Johnny Ace is signing autographs again — and the reaction across the wrestling world remains divided. With Laurinaitis back in public view and legal fallout still fresh in fans’ minds, this story isn’t going away anytime soon.

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