On a recent edition of his “83 Weeks” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff discussed the recent development in the feud between Cody Rhodes and The Rock & Roman Reigns on the Road To WrestleMania 40.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On The Rock’s heel turn: “At this stage of his career, it surprises me that he would fully embrace that heel role. I’m glad he did. The audience obviously digs it. It’s taking them back to 1999, I guess, kind of a heel Rock era at that point. So, the audience is digging it. I’m just relatively surprised. I mean, there was talk a couple of months ago about him exploring the idea of running for president. I think that’s probably out the window. He won’t be campaigning anytime soon in Utah. But who knows? We’ll see.”
On grading The Rock joining The Bloodline segment from the February 16th SmackDown: “Oh, definitely [an] A-plus for effort, because that was a hell of a bobble and a hell of a pivot. And to be able to recover at all, I think gets them an automatic B. And given the nuances in some of the details and the focus on creating anticipation — because that’s what this is all about. We know we’re gonna get the action. We’ve got a pretty solid story. The reality of this situation, given just the basic premise for Cody Rhodes. Finishing the story, that’s real. That’s based on actual events regarding his father Dusty, and thinking he was going to get the championship and then having it in his hands. But ‘Oh, you didn’t really get it.’ I mean, that’s all real. This is a scripted story based on reality in a sense.
“The surprise, I mean [it’s surprising enough that Rock showed up on the scene in the middle of it all. So they got that covered. So the five elements that it takes to make a great story are all there. They’ve checked the box, but it seems like they’re turning up the volume in anticipation so much that that effort? Gets me up into a B+ or A- type of grade, I think for where they are currently. We’ll see how it evolves. But would do you not give your students a B plus to an A minus. Not only for the pivot, but for the details, the story and the attention to detail that this is getting so far. And the fact that they’re giving themselves a couple of different options to get out of it. Or to end it, I should say. Not to get out of it, that makes it sound like a burden. So, they’ll have an opportunity to end this story, this movie is called WrestleMania, any number of different ways at this point.”
The feud between Cody Rhodes and The Rock & Roman Reigns on the Road to WrestleMania 40 has been a hot topic in the wrestling world. WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff recently discussed this development on his “83 Weeks” podcast, sharing his thoughts on The Rock’s heel turn and grading The Rock joining The Bloodline segment from the February 16th SmackDown.
Bischoff expressed surprise at The Rock fully embracing his heel role at this stage of his career. He mentioned that there were talks a couple of months ago about The Rock exploring the idea of running for president, but with his current heel persona, that seems unlikely. However, Bischoff acknowledged that the audience is enjoying this throwback to The Rock’s heel era in 1999.
When it comes to grading The Rock joining The Bloodline segment, Bischoff gave it an A-plus for effort. He commended the performers for recovering from a bobble and executing a pivot. He believed that their ability to recover alone deserved a solid B grade. Additionally, Bischoff praised the focus on creating anticipation, which is crucial in storytelling. He noted that the story involving Cody Rhodes is based on real events regarding his father Dusty and the disappointment of not winning the championship when he thought he had it. Bischoff appreciated the attention to detail and the fact that the story has multiple options for its conclusion.
Bischoff emphasized that the five elements required to make a great story are all present in this feud. The surprise appearance of The Rock, the real-life basis of the story, the attention to detail, and the various options for its ending all contribute to its quality. He gave the current state of the feud a B+ or A- grade, but acknowledged that it could evolve further as WrestleMania approaches.
In conclusion, the feud between Cody Rhodes and The Rock & Roman Reigns has captivated the wrestling community. Eric Bischoff’s analysis on his podcast sheds light on The Rock’s surprising heel turn and the impressive efforts made in the storytelling and execution of this feud. As WrestleMania 40 draws near, fans eagerly anticipate how this storyline will unfold and ultimately conclude.