During a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson addressed his absence from the WrestleMania 41 main event between Cody Rhodes and John Cena, noting he praised the match but admitted he “would have finessed things a little differently on how they got there.”
Following the buzz around the situation, WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff offered his perspective on the creative process in wrestling during a recent episode of his podcast.
Bischoff explained the unpredictable nature of professional wrestling:
“I have been a part of a lot of writers rooms to a certain extent in WWE, a much lesser extent in WWE obviously. But look, that’s what makes wrestling so unique is that you can have a solid plan. You could have planned weeks or months in advance, have absolutely the best creative you can imagine laid out well in advance, in detail. It doesn’t mean it’s not going to change. And it can change for any number of reasons. Injuries are the most obvious ones. Contractual disputes is another one. These are situations I personally have experienced. Family emergencies that take somebody out. Personal issues that oftentimes, back in the ’90s and early 2000s, took talent out. Or if you’re really lucky, somebody comes up with a better idea.”
Bischoff emphasized that adaptability is key in the wrestling industry:
“And look, I’m giving everybody the benefit of the doubt, because although I don’t know Rock personally. We’ve worked together a little bit, very little bit, and had a few conversations that were very brief. So I don’t know him. I know him, but I also don’t know John Cena on a real personal level. I’ve certainly worked with him a lot more, and I have a good sense of what he’s all about, as well as Cody. So there’s nothing but respect for everybody involved, but that’s one of the things that makes wrestling unique. Is that you can have plans and for any number of reasons, including a better idea that everybody goes, ‘Wow. I really like that.’ Sometimes you’re faced with a choice: do we go with an idea that everybody feels is a better idea, or do we stick with what we’ve got because, ‘Well that’s what we have planned.’ And there’s value in that, don’t get me wrong. Pre-production is the key to good production in every way. But sometimes an idea just hits you, even though you’ve done all the work and you adjust on the fly.”
Bischoff’s comments highlight the fluid nature of wrestling storytelling and why even the most carefully laid plans can change when circumstances—or better creative ideas—emerge.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more updates on WWE’s creative direction and the fallout from WrestleMania 41.
