By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

TNA executive Eric Bischoff said in an interview yesterday that when negotiations first began between his side (with Hulk Hogan) and TNA to form a partnership to challenge WWE, he didn't think each side would be able to overcome their differences in business philosophies. Bischoff didn't detail what the differences were or how Bischoff/Hogan and TNA resolved the issues, but he talked about how far apart both sides were.

"If you'd asked me early in negotiations (whether they would come to an agreement), which started in late May to early June, I'd probably would have said 'no,' because we had so much ground to cover," Bischoff said on the Monday Night Mayhem radio show. "There was so much distance between the visions of everyone involved, but that dissipated quickly. From Hulk's and my perspective, we had to make sure that the business side made sense for us."

Bischoff called it a "big, big, big challenge" to get both sides on the same page, which turned out to be Hogan "running the TV operation" from top to bottom.

"Our hearts were in it, but we had to make sure the business was right. And on the TNA side, they had to be sure it was right for them," Bischoff said. "It took a while."

The first live Impact last Monday drew a record rating for TNA and Spike TV executives were reportedly pleased with the result. Bischoff wouldn't say whether TNA will move to Monday nights, though.

"If I was a betting man, I wouldn't make that bet, because there's too much about it I don't know," he said. "I only bet on things I am completely sure of, or things I think I'm pretty sure of, and with regards to that question, I don't have an inside track on the thought processes at Spike, but I know they're excited and extremely happy with the show and with the ratings."

Bischoff also addressed Jim Cornette for his rant on TNA Impact, which focused heavily on old stars and power struggles. Bischoff didn't address Cornette's specific criticisms, adding that he doesn't know Cornette well, but Hogan thinks highly of him.

"I talked to Terry (Hulk) about Jim, and he thinks that Jim has been around a long time and has grasp for the psychology for the business and so forth," Bischoff said. "My opinion of Jim ... is what he says on the Internet, and I don't think I've heard anything positive about anything. He's famous for ripping s---, that's what he's good at."

Link: Listen to Bischoff's complete interview on Monday Night Mayhem.

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