For a long time in WWE, blood or say bloodshed has been something the company has shied away from in order to maintain a PG rating. But recently, there have been some slight changes in this regard, which Cody Rhodes is taking advantage of. Bloodshed is still something WWE doesn’t use in every event, but nowadays they have no problem showing a little color when the situation demands. This was evident during The American Nightmare’s storyline against The Rock in the build-up to WWE WrestleMania 40 when the Final Boss beat him backstage, leaving him badly wounded, bruised and bloodied.
Blood evoke real reactions from the audience
Cody Rhodes has continued to incorporate blood into his work for a long time, including his recent “I Quit” match against AJ Styles at WWE Clash at the Castle. The stipulation of a match like this is something that suits having blood because of the dangerous nature of it and the weapons involved. During the match, both Styles and Rhodes bled, which enhanced the match. Recently, during a conversation with Major Figures Podcast, Rhodes explained his position on blood in wrestling and its impact.
Cody stated that blood is part of sports entertainment and pro wrestling. The Undisputed WWE champion said that he doesn’t want to sound toxic, but it’s nice to see it celebrated in the packaging and in the moment.
“I gave myself a nice pat on the back recently going to WrestleMania, I was the first WWE shirt to have a little bit of blood on it, they had done the skull with a little cut-up top after The Rock beat me up in the rain,” he said.
Using Blood adds intensity to the match
Bloodshed has always been used in wrestling as it can evoke genuine reactions from fans that can enhance characters and lead to great moments. Cody and Dustin Rhodes’ iconic match led to toys being made specifically because of the blood. The American Nightmare was also busted open after being hit with a chair by Shawn Spears, which shows the impact blood can have.
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Becky Lynch’s famous angle with Nia Jax that saw her covered in blood helped to enhance her character, “The Man.” This made her one of the most popular wrestlers in the world. Most recently, the debut segment of The Wyatt Sicks saw using blood backstage, which added to the destruction they caused, and now WWE seems more open to using it as it is beneficial for them.
