"I've been in this business for over 40 years, I have never really seen an angle like this" - WWE legend on The Bloodline (Exclusive)
It feels like The Bloodline storyline has been running for ages but is still as fresh as ever! Following this week's SmackDown, Dutch Mantell admitted that the angle revolving around Roman Reigns is the most unique thing he's seen in his long wrestling career.
The show-closing SmackDown segment featured Roman Reigns confronting Jey Uso about his future in the faction. Jey briefly misled Roman into believing he would fall in line before landing a nasty superkick on The Tribal Chief.
Jimmy Uso joined in to attack Solo Sikoa as The Bloodline well and truly came to an end on the Blue brand. Dutch Mantell has been a vocal supporter of WWE's creative treatment of the Samoan story and said it was arguably the best angle he's witnessed in his 40 years in pro wrestling.
"I've never really seen this before. I've been in this business for over 40 years. I have never really seen an angle like this. Nobody else has either because it's never been done. They took their time with it," explained the former WWE manager on Smack Talk. "Everything they did make sense, and if you went back and thought about it and I don't think about things deeply as Sid does."
He continued:
"He had all these questions, 'Well, you knew this.' I didn't know it because I didn't think that deeply about it. But the end sell job was great because they sold me on it, and then when it happened, I said, 'Well, okay, good!'" [11:50 - 12:32]
Dutch Mantell on WWE being patient with The Bloodline
The mood around Roman Reigns' group was entirely different during WrestleMania 39, as many fans wanted Cody Rhodes to dethrone the undisputed world champion.
WWE didn't back The American Nightmare to complete his story and instead chose to continue with Roman's record-breaking reign, much to the displeasure of the fanbase.
The decision to keep the title on Reigns, however, has paid dividends as The Bloodline saga once again regained its luster on TV. Dutch Mantell wasn't against WWE extending the ongoing Bloodline feud, as it was the correct thing to do from a business perspective:
"Where everybody said it was Cody and Roman, and it wasn't that, now, that makes the people think. Now they are booking it in their own heads. What would I do? And they are judging. But whatever they do, the story is so good, I think they are going to stick with it." [20:00 - 20:20]
All eyes are on Roman Reigns as he has a big decision to make following The Usos' betrayal, and you can read more here.
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