"Keep him alive" - Dutch Mantell urges WWE to protect SmackDown star who could be a future main eventer (Exclusive)
As always, Dutch Mantell was back for another insightful episode of Smack Talk, where he opened up about Gunther's rise in WWE following an eventful SmackDown.
The reigning Intercontinental Champion has been impressive since his main roster call-up and has particularly thrived under Triple H's leadership.
Dutch Mantell believes WWE can make a lot of money if Gunther receives creative backing from the company. The former WWE manager was not pleased with the storyline developments on SmackDown as he felt it derailed Gunther's momentum.
Gunther has proven to be an exceptional talent, and Dutch Mantell urged WWE to protect the Austrian superstar, as you can view below:
"Ain't not a dime in those guys! There is money in Gunther. Keep him alive. And I think Sheamus, you know, him and Gunther went at it one time, but at the end, Sheamus was not even seen," said Dutch Mantell. "That's why he went backward, and I think Gunther went a little bit backward because you've got to protect assets like that. You just can't throw him out there." [47:55 - 48:56]
You can watch the entire episode below:
Gunther's Imperium took on Sheamus' Brawling Brutes in a six-man tag team match to kick off the latest SmackDown episode. While the crowd was invested in the bout, Dutch Mantell didn't wish to see Gunther and Sheamus involved in a multi-man tag match.
Mantell highlighted the problem from a booking standpoint and noted how Gunther was unwantedly progressing backwards on WWE TV.
Dutch added that the SmackDown opener was nowhere close to Gunther and Sheamus' all-time classic at Clash at the Castle:
"To me, you just can't throw them out there in a six-man tag and expect them to keep their steam because there was nothing for him to keep his steam on here. I'm talking from a booking point of view. That's what I'm thinking. But you're right; when they got into the ring, it got electric because they remembered Clash at the Castle. What a match they had! I mean, a brutal match, but this didn't even come close to it." [48:57 - 49:33]
They didn't go back, but they didn't advance: Dutch Mantell on Sheamus and Gunther's WWE feud
Gunther has impressed most people in the business with his hard-hitting work, and Dutch Mantell was also a massive fan of the former UK Champion's recent performances.
Mantell briefly opened up about how more than just the technical in-ring work, he focused on the drama and topsy-turvy narrative that wrestling matches had to offer.
The WWE legend did not enjoy the six-man tag team match on SmackDown as it did little to further the story between Gunther and Sheamus. However, Mantell said that WWE still had time to undo its mistakes.
"Well, I'm a big Gunther fan, and I wanted more from him, and the same for the Sheamus fans," Mantell continued. "They want more from him, but they don't get it. I don't think they really gave their fanbase enough. So you like matches because of their work. I like matches over the drama, over the intrigue, over where it can go, and I think this actually sent both Sheamus and Gunther; they didn't go back far. Let's say they didn't go back, but they didn't advance." [49:34 - 50:45]
Do you see Gunther becoming a main event player in the future? Sound off in the comments section below.
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