"They killed it" - Industry veteran hammers WWE creative for booking former World Heavyweight Champion poorly against AEW star Miro
Former WWE manager Dutch Mantell has slammed WWE for its poor booking of Jake Hager vs. Miro back in the day.
During their WWE days, Jake Hager (fka Jack Swagger) and Claudio Castagnoli (fka Cesaro) teamed up. Dutch Mantell took on the managerial role for the two, thus establishing "The Real Americans'' faction. The stable quickly rose to prominence but eventually lost its luster.
Speaking on the Wrestling Shoot Interviews podcast, Dutch Mantell revealed that he pitched a USA vs. Russia narrative for Jake Hager and Miro:
"That's when we had already moved past Lana and Rusev. I said 'why don't we do that America vs. Russia thing'. And he liked it. He went, 'Russia? US vs. Russia?' I said 'yeah'. They still had Rusev going from Russia. I said 'why don't we intercept him one time after he's running everything down and challenge him'. (...) He said 'They loved it. We gonna go with it.' And they went with it. So apparently they went with it just off a mention, and I swear to God they killed it," said Mantell. (00:58 - 01:54)
The industry veteran further dissected why the proposed storyline didn't pan out as planned:
"It was dead in six weeks because they never put Swagger over one time. You just can't keep heat on a heel constantly and let him keep beating the babyface, because finally they just lose faith in the babyface" said Dutch. (01:55 - 02:12)
Jack Swagger vs. Rusev: photos dlvr.it/LSvZk2 https://t.co/lMmmGERjek
Jake Hager hilariously re-enacted Miro's first TNT title victory over Darby Allin
Miro has been on a menacing streak since his arrival in AEW. The Bulgarian Brute took on "The Redeemer" persona and cemented a top spot in the young promotion's roster. He reportedly inked a four-year contract extension with Tony Khan's company earlier this year.
God's favorite champion decimated Darby Allin to clinch his maiden TNT title in May 2021. His dominating performance was well-received by fans and industry veterans alike.
The former Jack Swagger and his wife Catalina White are well-known for posting various spots and clips on social media. They hilariously recreated the TNT title bout on Instagram, where Miro was played by Catelina:
While the two big men haven't locked horns in AEW thus far, the history between them in WWE could make the potential bout a show-stealer.
Would you like to see The Redeemer collide with the former World Heavyweight Champion down the line? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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