Dutch Mantell reveals working with WWE Hall of Famer at the lowest point of his career
Former WWE manager Dutch Mantell, famously known as Zeb Colter, recently revealed that he worked with a Hall of Famer at the lowest point of his legendary career. Eddie Guerrero was briefly fired by the company in late 2001 and went on to work on the independent circuit for four months before being rehired.
Guerrero is considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, honing his craft in Mexico, WCW, and ECW before becoming a top star in the biggest wrestling promotion in the world. He reached the pinnacle of the industry when he became WWE Champion by defeating Brock Lesnar at No Way Out 2004.
But before reaching his potential, Guerrero struggled with drugs and was released by WWE in November 2001. During his time away from the company, one of the promotions he worked for was Carlos Colon's World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico, and one of the bookers at the time was Dutch Mantell.
"I booked him but Carlos told me what to put him in. I guess, he got booked through Carlos. (...) He was like in withdrawal. I don't know how effective he would have been but he wasn't the Eddie that I knew before. I knew before, not close, but this Eddie was different," Mantell said on his Story Time podcast. [3:13 - 4:03]
Eddie Guerrero got clean after being released by WWE and was hired back in April 2002. Guerrero later had the greatest run of his career, culminating with a WWE Championship win less than two years later. He passed away at the age of 38 on November 13, 2005.
What would be Eddie Guerrero's role in WWE if he were alive today?
During the same chat, Dutch Mantell was asked by a fan about his thoughts on Eddie Guerrero's potential role in WWE if he was still alive. Mantell believed that Guerrero would have been a perfect heel character on TV before eventually wrestling a retirement match.
"If Eddie was in the business today, first of all, I think he's passed his working years but I do think he would make a great, not a manager, but an advisor-consultant type to a Spanish heel. Then you could tell a great story about that because he was a good talker and he could go out there. I think he would be good for maybe a year, a year and a half, and then let him ease off. He would be the type to have a retirement match and I think it would draw well. Eddie Guerrero was just tremendous, he was a tremendous talent, he had a tremendous head for the business and the people loved him," Mantell said. [1:52 - 2:55]
Eddie Guerrero would have been 57 years old today if he were still alive. Guerrero's passion for pro wrestling would have likely kept him involved in the business backstage.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Story Time with Dutch Mantell and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.