"The first time I've seen him that way" - WWE Legend says the pressure is getting to Roman Reigns (Exclusive)
Roman Reigns cut an intense promo on the latest SmackDown episode as he briefly lost his composure and screamed at the audience to acknowledge him.
The commentary team highlighted the change in Reigns' demeanor. Industry veteran Dutch Mantell also reacted to the visible character shift on this week's Smack Talk.
The WWE Veteran was happy to see Roman's heightened emotions. He felt that it was a way of showing how the reigning Universal champion was gradually losing control ahead of his WrestleMania 38 clash against Brock Lesnar.
"That was good. It was the first time we've really seen him show any emotion, and it got over because now I think he's shown to some of us, now if he gets, they could say he is becoming unhinged. He is showing that the pressure is getting to him," stated Dutch Mantell. [22:10 - 22:34]
Dutch Mantell also pointed out that this was the first time he saw the Tribal Chief out of his comfort zone, exhibiting more 'fire' than before:
"Roman's interview tonight, he got a little more emotional, a little more fired up. The crowd got fired up, and it's the first time I've seen him that way, and I'm sure the crowd too, and he was good like that. He got out of that laidback, complacent mode that he's usually in, and he showed some fire. People liked it. I liked it. It's going in stages, so it's good." [22:35 - 23:44]
You can check out the full episode of SmackTalk below:
Will Roman Reigns' historic reign end at the hands of Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38?
Roman Reigns made his intentions clear on SmackDown as he vowed to force Brock Lesnar into acknowledging him at WrestleMania 38.
However, as noted by Dutch Mantell and several fans who watched the show, Roman Reigns seemed a little unsettled while sending his message across. This could be a hint of a possible meltdown.
The title unification match at WrestleMania is being billed as the most significant championship showdown in the company's history. Having Roman Reigns take a high-profile loss could lead to a new character arc for the dominant superstar after the event, but will WWE's creative team explore that creative path?
Who do you think will prevail at the Show of Shows in April? Sound off in the comments section below.
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