Roman Reigns getting dethroned by a former champion "won't be good for business" despite hints, says WWE legend (Exclusive)
The seemingly never-ending championship run of Roman Reigns will face a significant threat when he takes on LA Knight at Crown Jewel 2023. Even though Knight has done well for himself, former WWE manager Dutch Mantell does not think it would be suitable for the babyface to go over the heel in Saudi Arabia.
While some might have wanted WWE to keep LA Knight away from Roman Reigns, the company has not wasted time offering the big-money clash.
The former Million Dollar Champion will have the chance to win his first real title in WWE, and that too, the most prestigious Roman Reigns' Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, if he defeats The Tribal Chief at Crown Jewel.
While speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's SmackTalk, Dutch Mantell agreed that a monumental win for the babyface cannot be ruled out, however, it would not be the ideal decision. The wrestling veteran stated that the good guys chasing after the title always paid dividends more than having the face of being a champion and being targeted by the heels.
"Good for him... Hey, you can have anything you want, really, but would it be good for business? I don't think so. I don't think so at all. Roman is the guy, and if you beat him, then LA Knight's the guy, but he is the babyface, and it's easier to get the babyfaces to try and dethrone the heel, the king of the heels, than to get a heel to dethrone a babyface. People will pay to see the babyface win, they won't pay to see them lose. So once you put the title on LA Knight, now he has got to drop it somewhere, people don't want to see that unless you have a heel that they just kind of love, and we've seen that too," Mantell said. [45:52 - 46:56]
You can check out the entire video below:
Losing to Roman Reigns might not be the end of LA Knight's WWE push
Roman Reigns has defeated some legendary names during a historic reign, and speculation suggests that he might not drop the title, at least until the next WrestleMania.
Despite LA Knight laying out The Bloodline's leader on SmackDown and sending out a strong message ahead of their Crown Jewel clash, former WWE manager Dutch Mantell did not see the protagonist ending one of the most extended world championship reigns ever.
However, Knight might not necessarily suffer from a loss if he pushes Roman Reigns to the limit in Crown Jewel's expected main event. He should be just fine in the premium live event's aftermath heading into the new year.
"I don't foresee him winning at all at Crown Jewel...yeah he will [it could work well for LA Knight if he puts on a great performance,] and Roman is the guy to carry him," Mantell said. [46:57 - 47:20]
Roman Reigns or LA Knight? Who do you think walks out of the Saudi Arabia event with the championship around their waist? Share your predictions in the comments section below.
Please credit SmackTalk, give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription, and embed the exclusive YouTube video if you use any quotes from this article.