Eric Bischoff believes WWE risks making the same mistake with The Bloodline that he made with the nWo, warning that stretching the storyline too far could ultimately damage its legacy.
Speaking on 83 Weeks following SummerSlam, Bischoff addressed the perception that he always sides with WWE, saying that’s far from the case.
“I know that’s not what you’re expecting because apparently people think that I support everything WWE, which is clearly not the case.”
He explained that he generally evaluates wrestling from a business perspective, but admitted there are still creative decisions that leave him scratching his head.
“There are things like this that I just shake my head at.”
Despite his concerns, Bischoff remains a huge admirer of The Bloodline saga.
“I believe it’s really one of the best stories that have ever been told in wrestling.”
However, he believes the story is approaching the same crossroads that ultimately hurt the nWo during WCW’s peak years.
“Like the nWo… I nosedived it by growing it too big. The Wolfpac and all the derivatives of the original nWo… too many guys into it diluted the significance of it.”
Bischoff acknowledged that expanding the nWo remains one of the biggest creative regrets of his career.
“You got me on that. I did that.”
That’s precisely why he’s surprised to see WWE potentially heading down a similar path.
“Because I did that, because it’s so obvious, why is WWE doing the same thing?”
Bischoff isn’t advocating for WWE to abruptly end The Bloodline, but believes the creative team must either reinvent the story or know when it’s time to move on.
“If they can come up with a compelling story that makes it feel new, I’m in.”
If not, he fears fans will eventually look back on the angle less fondly than they otherwise would have.
“If they keep doing what I did… riding it till it dies… people will reflect back on the Bloodline storyline and have a less favorable opinion of it.”
He compared the situation to an aging prizefighter who continues competing beyond the ideal retirement point.
“It’s kind of like a fighter that just refuses to retire… If they would have just stopped two or three fights earlier, they’d be legends. Now they’re footnotes.”
Bischoff believes WWE has already set an incredibly high standard with The Bloodline and now has an obligation to either meet those expectations again or move in a different direction.
“You got me there before. Now get me there again. If not, leave it alone. Come up with something fresh.”
Asked what the storyline would have looked like without Paul Heyman, Bischoff didn’t hesitate.
“Without Heyman… it wouldn’t have worked.”
He described Heyman as the mastermind behind the entire presentation.
“He was the glue. He was the catalyst. He was the propellant… the Wizard of Oz behind the scenes.”
Bischoff also singled out Sami Zayn as the performer who elevated the story from great to unforgettable in his eyes.
“Sami did such a phenomenal job… Sami kicked it up another notch.”
While he sees similarities between The Bloodline and the nWo as dominant faction storylines, Bischoff believes WWE succeeded in one area WCW never fully achieved.
“The story elevated so many people. I mean, nWo did too, but not like this.”
He praised WWE’s ability to use The Bloodline to create multiple stars simultaneously, calling it one of the most impressive aspects of the storyline from a business standpoint.
The comments come after Roman Reigns retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins in the SummerSlam Night Two main event, a match built around callbacks to The Shield and notably featuring no outside interference.
