Conrad Thompson called Roman Reigns “probably the most overrated main eventer in WWE history” on the latest episode of 83 Weeks, and co-host Eric Bischoff agreed with him.
The exchange came days after Reigns retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins in the main event of SummerSlam Night 2 in Minneapolis, a match widely graded as one of the best of the year. Reigns has held the title since WrestleMania 42 in April.
Thompson prefaced the take by warning Bischoff it would land badly. “I’m going to give you a hot take that’s going to annoy you,” he said.
“I know this isn’t a wrestling term, it’s a music term, but Roman Reigns is what music would call an industry plant,” Thompson said. “I don’t think if Roman Reigns disappears tomorrow WWE’s fortune changes at all.”
He argued the push never came from the audience. Thompson invoked the “down our throats” phrasing he associates with Triple H’s reasoning on pacing Bron Breakker, then turned it back on WWE: “Well, they pushed Roman down our throats forever.”
Thompson also questioned whether Reigns has a signature performance to point to. “When people talk about their favorite match ever, how many people list a Roman Reigns match? How many people list their favorite promo as a Roman Reigns promo?”
His closing shot was the harshest. “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. He’s Goldberg if Goldberg worked more than 10 minutes.”
Bischoff Backs The Criticism
Bischoff, who has spent years calling the Bloodline the best story wrestling has ever produced, did not defend the champion.
“I agree. I know that’s not what you’re expecting, because apparently people think that I support everything WWE which is clearly not the case,” Bischoff said. “But there are things like this that I just shake my head at.”
The nWo Comparison Cuts Both Ways
Thompson described the current Bloodline as having reached “its black and silver era of the nWo,” a reference to the stretch where Bischoff’s own faction lost its edge through expansion.
Bischoff took the hit. He acknowledged he nosedived the nWo by growing it too big across the red and white and Wolfpac splinters, saying “too many guys in it diluted the significance of it,” then asked why WWE would walk the same path.
He warned the Bloodline’s legacy is on the clock. “It’s kind of like a fighter that just refuses to retire and goes out there and gets manhandled by somebody 25 years younger,” Bischoff said. “If they would have just stopped two or three fights earlier, they’d be legends. Now they’re footnotes.”
Reigns’ next televised title defense is set for Raw in Mexico City on September 14.
