Eric Bischoff Explains Why WWE Hall Of Famer Diamond Dallas Page Was Never A Good Heel

"Diamond" Dallas Page was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017, with his former WCW boss Eric Bischoff providing the induction speech. Bischoff's intro highlighted how hard Page worked to go from wrestling manager to pro wrestler at a later age than most, and the former WCW executive discussed many of Page's best qualities. During a recent edition of "83 Weeks," however, Bischoff spoke about something he feels Page wasn't fully suited for — playing the bad guy.

"Certain [performers] are better playing kind of a dialed-up version of themselves, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin clearly being one of them," Bischoff said. "To a lesser extent, 'Diamond' Dallas Page. But the same holds true with Page. In real life, Page is one of the nicest, most generous, caring people you would ever meet."

Bischoff pointed to Page's work with DDP Yoga over the last decade as a shining example of his desire to inspire and help others. Because of his real-life personality, Bischoff feels that Page was always more suited to portraying a babyface on TV.

"I don't think Page was ever good as a heel because he had to overcompensate so much for who he really was that it didn't come off authentic," Bischoff continued. Discussing WCW's Halloween Havoc pay-per-view from 1999, Bischoff described Page's heel promo at the event as "forced."

Throughout his WCW career, Page changed back and forth from hero to villain several times. However, he remained a babyface during the height of the promotion's popularity. Shortly after capturing his first world title in 1999, it was decided that Page would turn heel. It wouldn't last too long, though, as WCW went out of business less than two years later.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "83 Weeks" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.