On the latest edition of 83 Weeks, Eric Bischoff discussed the long-standing rumors that Dixie Carter wanted to bring in Paul Heyman to run TNA creative when Bischoff and Hulk Hogan were at the promotion. Highlights are below.

“It wasn’t a rumor, I think she did have conversations with Paul,” Bischoff said. “I wasn’t a part of them and I don’t think we talked about them, I mean Dixie did, she let me know, it wasn’t like she was doing it behind our back. I had worked with Paul in WWE and despite the storied legacy of the hatred and the back and forth and the competition and all the things that went on between Paul and I, some of it highly fabricated, some of it true, I got along with Paul. I thought Paul was brilliant, still do by the way, probably more now than I did even when I worked with him in WWE because I’ve had a chance in the last three or four months to spend more time talking to him in depth. Paul’s an amazingly talented guy, he really, really is. I have nothing but the highest respect for Paul. And even when Dixie was talking to him, and suggesting to bring him in, I was fully supportive of it.”

If using any of the above quotes, please credit 83 Week with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.