Eric Bischoff Speaks About Being Fired From WWE SmackDown Role

Eric Bischoff has spoken publicly for the first time since being replaced as the Executive Director of Friday Night SmackDown by Bruce Prichard.

Bischoff took to his

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/t to Fightful for the transcription)

to speak about the departure. Here are the highlights from what he said:

"My feelings right now are, number one, I'm really grateful for the opportunity to work in WWE. It didn't work out the way I wanted it to work out. It clearly didn't work out the way Vince McMahon wanted it to work out."

"I didn't come here thinking I was going to be in WWE for 5-10 years. I looked at it as a relatively short term opportunity, meaning 2-3 years. I didn't think it would be quite this short term, but sometimes this happens. WWE is a great company with a very defined culture and process. I didn't necessarily fit into it. I'm not sad, disappointed, any of those things. Just looking forward to the next opportunity, whenever and wherever that may be."

Speaking about Prichard:

"If there's anything out there that suggests anything other than Bruce and I are the best of friends and that I'm fully supportive of him, it defines the bulls**t and digital diarrhoea that dirt sheets and the douchebags that write them live off of.

"Nothing could be further from the truth. Bruce is probably the reason I got the opportunity in the first place. This is a decision Vince McMahon made based on whatever was going through his mind. I'm 1000% sure that anything Bruce said had nothing to do with that. Bruce is one of my closest friends and will remain one of my closest friends."