"I wouldn't let anybody suplex me there" - Former WWE personality jokingly lays down conditions for potential run in Tony Khan's AEW (Exclusive)
Weighing in on risky botches in Tony Khan-led AEW, Dutch Mantell jokingly voiced his terms for performing in the promotion.
All Elite Wrestling has been dealing with an injury bug for quite a while now. Many top names have been on the sidelines, with some facing more worrisome issues than others. It's worth noting that the majority of the injuries were born out of in-ring mishaps.
Wrestlers like Penelope Ford and Kip Sabian have returned after recovering from sustained injuries.
However, several performers like Red Velvet are still out of action and AEW Women's World Champion Thunder Rosa is the latest addition to the bench.
Speaking on the latest episode of Sportskeeda Wrestling's Smack Talk, Dutch Mantell bashed AEW performers for taking unnecessary risks and sustaining nasty injuries as a result:
"Anybody can just come in off the street and do what they want to do. Some of those botches, I'm surprised nobody has been really hurt. I saw that girl, she comes diving through and lands really in a bad way on her neck. It hurts me watching it. So anyway, the only good thing that saves these guys is they're young. The only thing that saves them because if they were older, they wouldn't get up," said Mantell. [From 10:57 to 11:30]
On a light-hearted note, the former Zeb Colter further stated his terms if he were to join Tony Khan's brand as a performer:
"I wouldn't let anybody suplex me there anyway. I'd be holding on the ropes, the mat, the referee and everything. You're not going to suplex my ass," he added. [From 10:49 to 11:43]
Check out the full interview here:
Dutch Mantell talks about reason behind injury situation in Tony Khan's promotion
Tony Khan's promotion has been marred with a slew of injuries this year. This has raised safety concerns among fans, with many raising questions about the performers' well-being.
Speaking on Wrestling Shoot Interviews, Dutch Mantell cited inconsistency as the root cause behind the aforementioned issue:
"Well I don't think they work everyday. That's what it is, because, say you work a TV match but you don't have any matches booked for the next week... You could go two weeks without even going into a ring. So, most guys once they start, they don't go down to the ring to practice," said Mantell.
(You can read more here)
Several veterans have voiced their concerns about safety issues, asking wrestlers to avoid unnecessary risks.
Many have demanded new provisions be infused in the guidelines. Tony Khan has often voiced safety as the top priority and it would be interesting to see if introduces new measures.
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