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Ric Flair Post-Raw Video; Bischoff Praises AEW; MVP Calls Vince a Perfectionist

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistAugust 11, 2020

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR XBOX - Ric Flair plays WWE 2K 18 on Xbox One X from Wrestlemania 34 on Sunday, April 8, 2018, in New Orleans. (Tyler Kaufman/AP Images for Xbox)
Tyler Kaufman/Associated Press

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.

               

WWE Shares Post-Attack Footage of Ric Flair

To close out Raw on Monday night, Randy Orton punted WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair. It was an act of retribution after Flair talked Kevin Owens into challenging Orton to a match on Raw.

WWE uploaded the aftermath of the attack, with Flair placed on a stretcher and wheeled backstage.

The Nature Boy's days as an in-ring competitor are long over, but Monday was an example of how he can still be effective in a limited role. His long history with Orton, dating back to their days in Evolution, only added to the emotional heft of The Viper slowly letting Flair slump to the mat before putting him away with a punt.

Orton is clearly willing to sacrifice anything and anyone in pursuit of Drew McIntyre's WWE Championship at SummerSlam.

           

Eric Bischoff Recounts Backstage Visit at AEW

Eric Bischoff made a brief appearance on AEW Dynamite last Wednesday, moderating a debate between Chris Jericho and Orange Cassidy.

On his podcast, 83 Weeks, Bischoff discussed visiting AEW and spoke highly of the promotion's atmosphere behind the scenes (h/t Wrestling Inc's Marco Rovere):

"When I went backstage at AEW, the first thing I noticed is wow, these guys are actually having fun trying to figure these things out. These guys are actually having fun trying to lay a match out in a way that not only entertains the audience but advances the story. You could tell, I could hear some of the conversations as I was walking by, these guys are working hard to get each other over, they're not just working hard to get themselves over which you have to do.

"When you get to that point, and you're coming at it with a frame of mind of how can I make my opponent look better than me and your opponent is looking to do the same thing, that's when the magic happens. I can't say enough good things about the talent, the energy backstage, the hospitality, the professionalism, it was really a great experience for me."

That probably represented a welcome contrast for Bischoff compared to his days in WCW, where the backstage drama was well documented.

           

MVP Comments on Vince McMahon's Attention to Detail

For better or worse, WWE's on-screen product largely remains the vision of one man: Vince McMahon.

Despite the fact that he'll turn 75 later this month, McMahon continues to be heavily involved with the promotion's biggest storylines.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated's Justin Barrasso, MVP called McMahon "very demanding" but said that has helped him learn more about the business:

"Coming back now, I understand what Vince wants and how he wants it. And Vince is a perfectionist. Good enough is not good enough for Vince. His influence has been huge. I'm a go-getter, and I want to be involved with the segments I'm in, and I want to make sure that I'm on the same page with the other talent so that your viewing experience on Monday Night Raw is the best that it can possibly can. Those are things I learned from Vince."

Sooner or later, McMahon will have to take a step back and let somebody else run the show. Until then, he isn't letting his age lower his expectations of his stars.