Dear AEW, thank you for embracing ‘blood and guts’

Cody Rhodes had the perfect response to Vince McMahon seemingly using the phrase “blood and guts” as a way to insult AEW’s approach to wrestling programming.

Think about the most iconic moments in professional wrestling history. Stone Cold Steve Austin’s babyface turn against Bret Hart. Becky Lynch’s Raw Invasion. A billion iconic shots of Ric Flair.

Blood and guts are inextricably linked to professional wrestling. This form of entertainment is among the most taxing on the body and it would be disingenuous to try and separate the real life hard work and risks from any kayfabe storytelling.

That’s why it was so puzzling to see Vince McMahon, whose empire is literally built on “blood and guts,” use this phrase as a throwaway insult at AEW. And not the least because both the recent Seth Rollins beatdown and the Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Lashley feud have made use of gorier storytelling elements.

By the same token, it was beautiful to see Cody Rhodes’s response to these remarks from WWE. Instead of shying away from what separates pro wrestling from everything else, Rhodes is embracing the words that have been a huge part of his own legacy in the sport.

Quote via Pro Wrestling Sheet’s Ryan Satin:

"“Recently there were some very public comments made about us where we were referred to as ‘blood and guts.’ Blood and guts. And it was said with such a braggart candor that you would think the person saying it felt that they were bullet proof. But I wonder, before they said it, if they tasted their own words before they spit them out. Because the entirety of our business is built on blood and guts. Every man or woman who ever stepped foot in the ring — regardless of race, color, creed, political affiliation, sexual identity — has felt blood and guts and PASSION! Because if we don’t care, they don’t care. So if you say we’re blood and guts, I say you bet your ass we are blood and guts.”"

Although AEW won’t air its first weekly show until October, the early Pay-Per-Views have clearly shown a tendency towards featuring blood as a powerful tool. Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes, for example, was a Match of the Year candidate based entirely around emotional storytelling, accentuated by the presence of blood in a match between two wrestlers forever linked by their own blood.

When we see blood, we have a very visceral reaction that is wired in us evolutionarily. Blood itself is a beautiful liquid that provides sustenance. Any significant loss in blood or any imbalance in the composition of plasma, and death can result. Although we should love blood, we recoil when we see it. Because blood is supposed to be hidden, flowing in our bodies as it nourishes our cells. When we can see blood, we see danger. We see pain. We see suffering.

But through the pain and suffering, we see exertion. We see passion. In sports, blood signifies heart and an unrelenting desire to prove oneself. Pro wrestling is all about telling stories around competition, and there’s nothing more emotionally striking than watching someone bleed for the opportunity to prove their abilities to the world.

So thank you, AEW, for embracing blood and guts. Thank you for being willing to use what is human and natural to tell stories that we can relate to and even be inspired by.

And WWE? Maybe you should remember the roots of this business and what made you the household name in wrestling in the first place. There’s nothing wrong with showing a little blood. Trust me, the kids can handle it.