Eric Bischoff is a seasoned veteran in the wrestling industry. He's one of the few men who could proudly say that he nearly built an empire that could rival what Vince McMahon built. The WCW, at its peak, was arguably just as popular as the then-WWF if not more popular. But, Bischoff flew too close to the sun and got burnt, so to speak. Now, he sees a similar pattern developing with what All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is doing.

In his podcast, 83 Weeks, Bischoff claims he sees parallels between AEW's actions and the defunct World Championship Wrestling (WCW), whose fall from grace was partly his own doing.

In particular, Bischoff highlights a concerning development in AEW's decision to launch a new show planned for Saturday nights, Collision. He recalls how things went downhill for the WCW, despite beating the WWE in ratings, after adding "WCW Thunder" to its weekly schedule.

According to Bischoff, WCW Thunder became an added burden instead of an asset. Bischoff referred to its launch as the "beginning of the end" for WCW.

Now, Bischoff fears that the AEW is headed down the same road with its introduction of "Collision."

Bischoff pins the blame for the decision on AEW's leader, Tony Khan. He says Khan should instead focus on establishing the AEW and generating demand from audiences for more programming. But, Khan seems keen on adding more content, which Bischoff disagrees with based on his personal experience.

Furthermore, Bischoff warns the AEW for leaning too much on the past. It's no secret that the Collision logo resembles the WCW Nitro logo. Bischoff explains that you shouldn't lean too heavily into the past. Otherwise, audience expectations can outshine reality, resulting only in disappointment.

Bischoff isn't the only one concerned about the future of the AEW. Fans and critics alike are wondering if AEW is straying from its original promise to avoid the mistakes that led to the decline of the WCW.

However, in a previous episode, Bischoff did praise the AEW for its launch of Collision, especially as it's a clear sign that Warner Bros. Discovery is confident in the company's growth.

Unfortunately, the risk of diluting the brand even when it's not in as high demand far outweighs the potential benefits. 

It remains to be seen if Bischoff's words will ring true. AEW Collision's first episode will air on June 17.