Gladiator Ascendancy question

Violent Retaliation or Blood in the Eyes?

I have a block build with bleed, which can choose either of these from the UberLab, and I don't know which one to choose.

On paper Violent Retaliation looks a lot better. It's a straight dps increase for a high block build, it helps with DPS for bosses which is where you need it (as opposed to paper people regular mobs) and the node leading to it offers additional block which is always welcome.

But on the other hand I'm concerned that it may be in fact a noob trap. What I do not know is if you get to stack enough blocks from white mobs to make it worth while. Against bosses, the incentives are to try and manually dodge their slams rather than rely on your block to mitigate insane damage. Also there are some boss mechanics which I do not know if they count as a boss hit (for example, is Vaal Oversoul's laser blockable? are falling rocks, which you can find with several bosses, considered a skill which the boss uses? etc.).

Blood in the Eyes seems kinda meh but on the other hand it looks like reliable meh. If your target bleeds you get some dps and some mitigation. Simple.

I guess it all comes down to having tried it out. So what I am asking, does anyone have firsthand experience with Violent Retaliation and would they recommend it over Blood in the Eyes?

I suggest neither of those for your character. Try Outmatch and Outlast for frenzy charge generation, damage and phys damage taken reduction boosts