Roman Reigns is at the center of criticism following his SummerSlam main event against Seth Rollins.
In a clip from 83 Weeks, WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff said he thought the match was good, but added that it didn’t do much for him.
Rather than further a critique of the match, Conrad Thompson, his co-host, replied with what he called a hot take he knew would upset people.
“I think Roman Reigns is probably the most overrated main eventer in WWE history,” Thompson said. He continued, calling Reigns an industry
plant — a term in the music business used to describe someone whose success is perceived as being manufactured and backed by influential connections, such as family ties to the industry.
Despite Reigns’ placement as a top guy in the company, Thompson believes WWE’s fortunes wouldn’t change if the second-generation were to suddenly go away.
When it comes to doing public relations, Thompson accused Reigns of not putting in the same work as Cody Rhodes or John Cena, despite Reigns having done so years earlier.
“He just flies in, takes 12 minutes to get to the ring, wrestles kind of the same match, does it really really slow, gets his hand raised, and he moves on,” Thompson said. “He’s Goldberg if Goldberg worked more than 10 minutes.”
Thompson also compared Reigns’ current Bloodline storyline to the nWo in its later years, a period many, including Bischoff, who led the faction during its peak, believe dragged on far too long.
“If they [WWE’s creative team] keep doing what I did, which is riding it till it dies, essentially, people will reflect back on The Bloodline storyline and have a less favorable opinion of it,” said Bischoff, who called the group’s initial run one of the best stories ever told in wrestling.
Bischoff was more optimistic than Thompson, adding that if WWE “can come up with a compelling story that makes it feel new, I’m in.”
Thompson’s criticism comes on the heels of similar critiques following Reigns’ performance against Jacob Fatu at Clash In Italy. After losing to Reigns, Fatu was forced to join his cousin in The Bloodline and serve Reigns under the pre-match stipulation.
In his critique of the match, former ESPN writer Andreas Hale opined, “The Bloodline was one of the best-executed stories in WWE history, but running back a rehash of it might not be a great idea.”
Jim Cornette was also critical of the Samoan family saga, saying on his podcast, “The Bloodline was the thing you slowed down for. There’s more exciting shit going on now.”
On-screen, though, Reigns continues to receive positive reactions from fans. He also remains active in the ring, a vow he made to fans after winning the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 42.
On Wednesday, WWE announced that Reigns will defend his title on Raw in Mexico City on Sept. 14 against the winner of an upcoming tournament featuring luchaodores from Raw, SmackDown, and AAA.
A fresh matchup against a seemingly unlikely opponent might give WWE an opportunity to address the concerns some critics have raised about Reigns’ recent direction.
