On a recent edition of his “83 Weeks” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff discussed the RAW segment where Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson brutalized Cody Rhodes.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On Rhodes bleeding during his attack segment from The Rock: “I didn’t like it. And I just – I have a thing that I can’t get over. And look, it wasn’t excessive. It wasn’t [like] they zoomed in with a camera, and licked the blood off his face, the kind of grotesque s**t I’ve seen. So it was judicious enough that I wasn’t completely turned off by it. I get it, I know why they did it. It’s just — and I am absolutely in the minority on this, I don’t know why I feel as strongly about it. Because most things, I’m pretty flexible in many ways when it comes to creativity, But something about it –I don’t know.
“I would have — you know, maybe if it had been a little less blood. I said it wasn’t that shot that Dave just put up. I guess I didn’t notice it as much. But maybe if we had been just a little bit more, and we weren’t showcasing it quite as much as we were, trying to make that point. If it looked a little bit more organic. And I’m not saying cut away from it, pretend it didn’t happen, shoot wide shots. But if you’re watching along on 83Weeks.com, you’re seeing what I’m seeing, and that’s — the camera’s right there. I mean, 25% of that frame is Cody bleeding. I think that was just a little bit more than necessary. But I get it.”
On not liking it: “That’s part of it [it turning advertisers away], that’s the business side of me. Because in my experience it does, or it can. That’s part of it. But part of it is, I guess because I’ve seen so much of it. And it’s been so overdone that when I see it, it doesn’t make me feel empathy. In this case for Cody, doesn’t make me feel sympathetic towards him. It just makes me feel like, ‘Oh, they’re trying really hard here.’ That’s why I say, it’s just me.
“The good news is we didn’t see it on the rest of the show. It wasn’t like five other guys got juice, which is typically what we see in some promotions. Like every other match, somebody’s getting split open till it gets to the point where it doesn’t mean anything. In this case, you can see it anywhere else, we haven’t seen blood in WWE for a long time. So I guess it mattered. The part of me that liked it was it was a throwback to old school. It’s like the way it used to be done. That part of me likes that, a traditional way of getting heat. The fact that there was blood all over the weight belt that Cody’s Mama or Mama Cody, whatever it was, Mama Rhodes. Yeah, that was a nice touch to bring Cody’s mom into this. I’d like to see her face when this is going on.”
In a recent episode of his podcast “83 Weeks,” WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff discussed a RAW segment where Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson brutally attacked Cody Rhodes. Bischoff shared his thoughts on Rhodes bleeding during the segment and expressed his mixed feelings about it.
Bischoff admitted that he didn’t particularly like the sight of Rhodes bleeding, although he acknowledged that it wasn’t excessive compared to some other instances he had seen in the past. He mentioned that he understood why they did it and recognized that he was in the minority with his opinion. Bischoff usually considers himself flexible when it comes to creativity, but this particular aspect bothered him.
The former wrestling executive suggested that if there had been less blood or if it had been presented in a more organic manner, he might have been more accepting of it. He emphasized that he didn’t want them to cut away from it or pretend it didn’t happen but felt that the camera focused too much on the bleeding. Bischoff believed that showcasing it to such an extent was more than necessary.
Bischoff also touched on the business side of things, mentioning that such segments could potentially turn advertisers away. However, he admitted that his dislike for it stemmed more from the fact that he had seen similar instances so frequently in the past. Instead of evoking empathy or sympathy for Rhodes, it made him feel like they were trying too hard to make an impact.
On a positive note, Bischoff appreciated that blood was not seen in other parts of the show and acknowledged that it had been absent from WWE programming for a long time. He saw it as a throwback to the old school way of generating heat and liked the traditional approach. Additionally, he found the inclusion of Cody’s mother in the segment, with blood on the weight belt she had given him, to be a nice touch.
Overall, Bischoff’s opinion on Rhodes bleeding during The Rock’s attack segment was mixed. While he didn’t particularly like it, he recognized its significance in terms of adding a traditional element and generating heat. However, he felt that the focus on the blood could have been toned down to make it feel more organic and less forced.
The podcast episode provides wrestling fans with an interesting insight into the thought process and differing opinions within the industry. It also highlights the delicate balance between creative decisions and the potential impact on advertisers and audience reception.