5 reasons WWE should use Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman as on-screen characters

It hasn't been long since WWE took the pro-wrestling world by storm and announced that Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman have been appointed as SmackDown Live and Monday Night Raw's Executive Directors.

The move is being lauded by fans as well as wrestling personalities, with many clamouring for the two men to make some much-needed changes to both brands moving forward, now that they have some serious control over the shows. Longtime fans of pro-wrestling might remember the time when Eric Bischoff used to run Raw as an on-screen authority character, while Heyman had control over SmackDown, back in 2004.

Around 15 years later, WWE has brought back these two and one hopes that this will lead to nothing but good things for both brands. Although there's no news yet on whether WWE plans to use Heyman and Bischoff as on-screen characters in addition to their backstage roles, here are the 5 biggest reasons why the company needs to use the two in an on-screen capacity.

---

#5 The nostalgia factor

Bischoff debuts

The one thing that's been a constant in pro-wrestling is the fact that nostalgia sells. Be it Hogan's return in 2002, or The Rock coming back to take on John Cena in 2011, WWE fans have always loved a dash of nostalgia. Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff were once integral parts of WWE's weekly TV shows, and used to get loud reactions on a regular basis. Not using them in an on-screen position and failing to cash in on the nostalgia would be a terrible business decision.

The news of WWE hiring Heyman and Bischoff was met with fanfare and excitement among the WWE Universe. There couldn't be a better time than right now to use these two incredibly talented men on TV on a regular basis.

#4 Both men have the ability to put over talent

Heyman and Lesnar

Remember when Heyman turned on Brock Lesnar and joined forces with The Big Show, resulting in Lesnar becoming a mega babyface? Or when Bischoff made John Cena's life a living hell during Cena's first WWE Title run?

There are countless instances such as these, where these two men have used their gift of gab, or their ability to take punishment in the squared circle, to put over talent on WWE television. When you take someone of the stature of Heyman and Bischoff and put them against a Superstar on TV, it is bound to help matters in regards to the Superstar's career going forward.

Bischoff and Heyman are too talented to be used only in a backstage capacity. With WWE doing its best to come up with stars that would lead the company into the future, using Heyman and Bischoff as on-screen antagonists would certainly be a good idea.

#3 Both men possess top-notch mic skills

Bischoff

When a company wants to use someone as an on-screen character, the first thing that is considered is whether they are capable enough to take the role, and do justice to it via their mic and in-ring skills. This experiment didn't work too well back in 2011, when WWE decided to bring in John Laurinaitis as a heel authority figure. Laurinaitis' mic skills left a lot to be desired, and he used to get constantly mocked by wrestlers as well as the live audience.

On the contrary, Heyman is widely regarded as one of the greatest talkers in the history of this business. He is so good that WWE rarely lets Brock Lesnar use the mic, and instead lets Heyman do the honors whenever the two are in the ring. And then there's Bischoff! As someone who saw Bischoff and Heyman in all their glory back in 2003-04, it is incredibly hard for me to decide on who's the better mic worker between the two. Nevertheless, these mic-skills need to be fully utilized on TV, instead of going to waste.

#2 The storyline possibilities are endless

A war in the works?

With Bischoff and Heyman now taking the helm on SmackDown Live and Monday Night Raw, the doors have opened up for a string of possible storylines down the line. Fans have been critical of WWE's recent storylines, most notably Baron Corbin chasing the Universal Title and Shane McMahon defeating the likes of The Miz and Roman Reigns.

If WWE uses Heyman and Bischoff in an on-screen capacity, it gives them a chance to create some intriguing storylines. WWE can even rehash a bunch of old storylines, with the new generation of wrestlers taking the spots that once the likes of Lesnar, Cena, and Punk used to be in, against Heyman and Bischoff. With these two men back in the mix, WWE can kick off a major brand-wars storyline that could go on for months, and culminate at Survivor Series 2019, much like how it was done with WWE vs The Alliance in 2001. As said before, the possibilities are endless.

#1 Both were genuinely hated heel authority figures during their heyday

Bischoff vs Austin

The one thing that stands in favor of both Bischoff and Heyman is the fact that both have proven themselves as legit TV characters time and again in the past. Bischoff turned from an announcer to a major villain as a part of NWO during the Attitude Era. He reprised his heel authority role in WWE and feuded with the likes of Stone Cold and John Cena.

Heyman did the exact same thing over on the blue show and did his bit towards putting over a white-hot John Cena in 2004, which led to him capturing the US Title from Booker T, and then the WWE Title from JBL. WWE has put these two in authoritative roles again, this time in a backstage capacity. A point can be made that Heyman and Bischoff are the two greatest heel authority figures in WWE history, of course after Mr. McMahon. It would be a disservice to the fans to not use these two amazing heels on WWE television.