Eric Bischoff points out what AEW is overlooking, claims it "turns" him off
WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff has pointed out one thing that AEW needs to stop overlooking if they want to improve as a promotion.
All Elite Wrestling has come a long way since the inaugural Double or Nothing event in May 2019. However, with the company being so young, there are still a few rough edges to the presentation of their pay-per-views and TV shows that can be shaved.
Eric Bischoff pointed out one of these rough edges on his 83 Weeks podcast when he was asked if All Elite Wrestling could learn something from WWE SummerSlam. He said no because the thing they need to learn is to keep their audience engaged:
"They're gonna have one of the most important characters on the show — the audience. Keep that audience engaged — just keep 'em engaged. Pace the show, so that you're building throughout the entire event, and you're building to a crescendo or climax. Talents, sometimes, have the tendency to do what talents think is over, and sometimes they're absolutely right. You could look at guys like Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Roddy Piper — but those guys had a feel because of the thousands of matches they had, in front of hundreds of thousands of people. They learned." (H/T Wrestling Inc.)
Bischoff went on to say that the one thing that turns him away from All Elite Wrestling is the excess of violence and blood, stating that it doesn't get over with the audience and that the company needs to pace itself in that regard:
"The audience on the AEW roster right now is [very inexperienced]. Pace it, be careful about going too far with the violence. That's the thing that turns me off about AEW more than anything else. It may get you off, but it doesn't get over with the audience. Pace yourself, and realize that the audience is actually the star of the show." (H/T Wrestling Inc.)
AEW has cranked up the violence as of late
Unlike WWE, All Elite Wrestling isn't a PG company and has the freedom to use stronger language, more adult themes, and, of course, more blood.
2023, in particular, has been a very violent year for All Elite Wrestling, with Anarchy in the Arena returning, Blood and Guts doing exactly what it says on the tin, and when you have a group like the Blackpool Combat Club in the company, things are only going to get more violent by the day.
The BCC recently faced the Best Friends on the August 4th edition of Rampage in the second-ever Parking Lot Fight, which involved buckets of blood, flaming barbed wire, and car windshields being smashed all over the floor.
The feud between the two groups doesn't seem to be over either, as Jon Moxley has got his sites set on Orange Cassidy's AEW International Championship. Given the amount of blood Moxley has already spilled this year, don't expect that to stop any time soon.
Do you think All Elite Wrestling is too violent? Let us know in the comments section down below!