"He might need to look for another job" - WWE personality isn't a good fit for commentary role, feels veteran (Exclusive)

The current WWE SmackDown commentary team comprises Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore. Barrett is the color commentator for the brand, while Tessitore acts as the play-by-play commentator.

SmackDown's team arguably lacks star power when compared to RAW, given that the red brand boasts the fan-favorite pairing of Michael Cole and Pat McAfee. Some fans were critical of Tessitore's work this week, and he even drew criticism from wrestling veteran Dutch Mantell.

Speaking on the BroDown podcast on Sportskeeda WrestleBinge, the former Zeb Colter had some harsh words for Joe Tessitore. Mantell's criticism wasn't limited to Tessitore, though, and involved the entire Triple H-led WWE.

"I don't know, I think Mr. Tessitore, well, he might need to look for another job, too, but he's okay as a straight guy. They all need to be looking for another job, I think," Mantell said. [From 10:00 onwards]

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Dutch Mantell compared SmackDown's commentary team to legendary WWE commentators

Mantell even lambasted Tessitore's partner, Wade Barrett's commentary style, and reminisced about the days when legends like Bobby Heenan and Jerry 'The King' Lawler used to be at WWE's commentary desks. On BroDown, the 75-year-old said:

"Well, I don't like Stu's [Wade Barrett] announcing anyway. I mean, he's almost out talking the the host and I've said this a thousand times, this will be a thousand and one. I miss guys like Bobby Heenan, like Jerry Lawler. I miss all those guys because they're supposed to do color. You can do just so much straight stuff. Then, after a while, you're not saying anything. You're just talking to hear yourself talk because they're not really making a point, and they're not funny. Some of them don't want to look silly and stupid. Lawler, he loved that, and so did Bobby Heenan. That's what got him over,'' Mantell said. [9:08 - 9:58]

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Tessitore joined WWE less than a year ago and has received much praise for his work from viewers. Meanwhile, Corey Graves has been active in NXT.

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About the author

Faiz is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. He is a BBA graduate who is passionate about sports and wants to make a career in that field. This passion led to a postgraduate degree in Journalism, which helped him pivot into becoming a sports writer. When writing, he puts the utmost importance on accuracy and thorough research.

Faiz has six years of work experience across four companies. He started his career with Zomato and then moved to Amazon. He shifted to becoming a football writer at TV9 Digital and is now with Sportskeeda. He covered the Wrestling Xtreme Mania event in Gurgaon in 2025, where he had the opportunity to interview Raj The Maharaja, fka Jinder Mahal. At the same event, he also got quick interviews with former WWE Superstar Dijak and Japanese Joshi legend Emi Sakura.

When it comes to his favourite wrestlers, Faiz has two names in mind. He loved to watch Triple H before the current WWE CCO retired, and he is a huge fan of Roman Reigns. Being a loyal fan since the Tribal Chief's SHIELD days, Faiz credits Roman's mic skills and unmatched in-ring storytelling for his mega success. When he was young, one in-ring story left a lasting impression on his mind and eventually got him hooked on WWE. That match was Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania 24. Apart from that, he is also a fan of RAW.

When Faiz is not writing for Sportskeeda, he loves to keep up with other sports. He is an avid cricket and football fan, a huge gamer, and loves playing some RPGs on the PlayStation.

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Edited by Pratik Singh