"He does some hardcore stuff" - Dutch Mantell says 3-time AEW champion will get hurt really bad

Dutch Mantell, while discussing the wrestling style of a 3-time AEW champion, said that the star could get injured soon from consistently doing hardcore stuff.

Wrestling veteran Dutch Mantell has been in the industry for over 50 years, taking on various roles, including active wrestler, manager, and booker. Mantell is best known for his time as a wrestler in WCW and as a manager in WWE. As of today, Mantell is retired and focused on his podcast, Story Time with Dutch Mantell. In a recent edition of the same, the 75-year-old discussed the wrestling style of 3-time AEW Champion Darby Allin.

Allin, a former two-time TNT champion and one-time Tag Team Champion in the Jacksonville-based promotion, is known for executing high-risk maneuvers in the ring and his willingness to push limits. Addressing this, Mantell said that if Allin continues this way, he'll get hurt.

"So, Darby Allin, if he keeps working like he's been working...I give him a couple more years, and he's really going to get hurt. There's no way he can't get hurt. I mean, he does some really crazy stuff, but you can only do that for so long because your body says, "Nope, not doing it anymore." And I hope he's okay, but I've seen him do some things from ladders and high places and going through this and that and the other, I mean, he does some hardcore stuff, and you know you can look at it and say "Damn, that was tough." But his body is really reacting to it, and I hope he doesn't get hurt," said Mantell.

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Dutch Mantell says Darby Allin cannot replace Sting in AEW

In another part of the same edition of Story Time, Mantell, while replying to a fan who asked if he thought Darby Allin could replace the legendary Sting in AEW, said that he does not believe he can.

"I don't think so," said Mantell

For those who don't know, Sting and Allin shared a mentor-protege type relationship in the Jacksonville-based promotion and even won the AEW World Tag Team Championships once. The alliance ended when the Icon retired from wrestling in 2024.

Please credit Story Time with Dutch Mantell and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you take quotes from this article.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

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Edited by Karan Raj