Eric Bischoff Explains Why He Was Surprised The Rock Turned Heel

On the latest episode of 83 Weeks, Eric Bischoff talked about the latest development in the feud between The Rock & Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes ahead of WrestleMania 40. You can check out some highlights 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.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit 83 Weeks with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.