On a recent edition of his “83 Weeks” podcast, Eric Bischoff discussed the recent angle on AEW Dynamite where The Young Bucks attacked Sting and Darby Allin after the babyface duo won the AEW World Tag Team Championships.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On The Young Bucks laying out a bloody Sting and Darby Allin: “I didn’t dislike it; I didn’t like it either. I’m ambivalent about it. And part of that is because I haven’t been following, so perhaps I’m not as invested in the story as I could be. Or perhaps it’s because there’s no story to begin with.”
On the drama with CM Punk being the backstory of their heel turn: “That is so weak. That is an excuse for a match, that is not a story… You do [have to find a way to turn them heel to face Sting], but they didn’t. That’s my point. And we talked a little bit about the decentralization of control and power that social media has now, the influence social media has on professional wrestling and in the direction of characters and stories. So I understand to a degree that because of the silliness, the negativity, the CM Punk, the politics, and all that and how in the minds of some — not all — the Young Bucks were using their influence and help create that situation. And that there was a backlash. But I think there’s just no story there. It’s an excuse for a story; everything that you’ve just said supports my thesis that there is no real creativity or storytelling ability, or discipline in AEW. It’s simply creating situations that justify a match.
“And everything that you just said is an example of my criticism. There was not an inciting incident, not a compelling — that’s the key word. People say, ‘Oh, there’s such a great story in AEW!’ No there’s not. There are excuses for matches. There are angles that are used as an inciting moment to create an excuse for matches going forward. But there’s no beginning and there’s no arc to any of these stories, or the characters involved in them. Simply making — first of all, two guys that couldn’t be heels if you you soaked them in gasoline and set them on fire, they could not get heat. They’re not heels. They’re good guys, phenomenal athletes and performers that are playing the role of a heel because timing requires it. And oh yeah, there’s a little bit of this backstage political internet wrestling bulls** that we’re feeling pressure from. So I got it, let’s just make them heels. It’s not a compelling reason.”
On the Bucks’ storyline as compared to Cody Rhodes’ in WWE: It’s the exact opposite of why people are so invested in Cody Rhodes, in his story right now because of the authenticity in it. Because people can relate to how Cody Rhodes feels deep down inside, because something is being taken from him. You’ve got two guys, like I said, that are never going to be heals no matter what they do. And they’re taking on this role to support the fact that Sting wants to have a match with them. It’s interesting and for those people that are interested in seeing the best match possible with with Sting in his last match, I 100% agree that the Young Bucks are ideal candidates for that role. But it’s incumbent upon creative to make that heel turn — to make the fact that now the Young Bucks are heels, you have to make that believable. There has to be a reason for it creatively that the audience can wrap their heads around and invest in. And simply turning them heel because of some internet backstage nonsense and jealousy is not compelling.”
In a recent episode of his “83 Weeks” podcast, Eric Bischoff shared his thoughts on the recent angle on AEW Dynamite where The Young Bucks attacked Sting and Darby Allin after the babyface duo won the AEW World Tag Team Championships. Bischoff expressed his ambivalence towards the angle, stating that he neither liked nor disliked it. He attributed his lack of investment in the story to his limited following of AEW.
One of Bischoff’s criticisms was the lack of a compelling story behind The Young Bucks’ heel turn. He dismissed the drama with CM Punk as a weak backstory and argued that it was merely an excuse for a match, rather than a well-developed storyline. Bischoff highlighted the decentralization of control and power in professional wrestling due to social media, suggesting that the influence of social media may have played a role in the direction of characters and stories in AEW.
According to Bischoff, AEW lacks real creativity, storytelling ability, and discipline. He claimed that the promotion often creates situations that justify matches without a proper beginning or arc to the stories or characters involved. Bischoff criticized the decision to turn The Young Bucks heel, stating that they are not convincing heels and are only playing the role due to backstage pressure and internet wrestling politics.
Bischoff compared The Young Bucks’ storyline to Cody Rhodes’ in WWE, noting that the authenticity in Rhodes’ story is what draws people in. He argued that The Young Bucks’ heel turn should have been made believable and compelling by creative, rather than being based on backstage jealousy or internet drama.
Overall, Bischoff’s comments shed light on his perspective regarding the recent angle involving The Young Bucks in AEW. While he acknowledged the potential for a great match with Sting, he emphasized the importance of a well-crafted storyline and character development to make the heel turn believable and engaging for the audience.