“I do not get his gimmick at all” - Former WWE manager calls Aleister Black a lost cause (Exclusive)

WWE Superstar Aleister Black recently returned to the company on the SmackDown after WrestleMania. He returned with his trademark eerie gimmick that he portrayed during his first run with the company and later in AEW. He immediately got involved in a program with The Miz and Carmelo Hayes.

The 39-year-old has taken out The A-Lister every week on the blue brand since his return before facing off against Hayes in the latest episode of SmackDown for the second week in a row. He gained the upper hand in his bout against Carmelo and just when it looked like he was heading for the win, The Miz attacked him from behind, causing a disqualification.

Aleister Black's return to the company was criticized by former WWE manager Dutch Mantell. The former leader of the Real Americans questioned Black's character on the BroDown podcast on Sportskeeda WrestleBinge.

"This is his second trip to WWE, right? I think he's, he's already a lost cause, to tell you the truth. I just do. I didn't like him in AEW. I don't know the guy, but I'm saying, but his in ring deal, I don't get it. I do not get his gimmick at all, unless it appeals to the kids,'' Mantell said [From 16:50 onwards]

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The former leader of the House of Black had a tough outing this week after being outnumbered by Carmelo Hayes and The Miz. While Aleister Black managed to take out The A-Lister, Hayes took advantage of that distraction and took him out.

It'll be interesting to see how the former NXT Champion plans to even the odds next week.

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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 Harish Raj S