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Nearly three months have passed since Braun Strowman made his WWE return, and the Monster of all Monsters has found himself in a tag team with Ricochet. The intriguing pairing headlined this week's pre-taped SmackDown episode, and Dutch Mantell, as always, shared his thoughts about the show, including his honest opinions about Strowman.
The former Universal Champion teamed up with Ricochet for an action-packed 'Miracle on 34th Street Fight' against Imperium. While Dutch Mantell liked the main event showdown, he just couldn't understand all the hype surrounding Braun Strowman.
The 6-foot-8-inch giant has been one of WWE's go-to big guys in recent years and was also amongst the first released stars to have been brought back under Triple H's regime.
On the latest episode of Sportskeeda Wrestling's Smack Talk on WrestleBinge, Dutch Mantell explained that getting the physically larger wrestlers over with the audience was always challenging. It's common for superstars to lose momentum over time. Mantell could only recall Kane and The Undertaker as the big wrestlers who became household names for an incredibly long period.
The former WWE manager felt Braun Strowman had not reached that level yet and might never do so:
"I enjoyed the match. I'm just not a big fan of Strowman, never have been. Because the big guys; they are the most sensitive of all because they can't sell too much because he is so big. How tall is that guy? 6"7'? 6"6'? But sometimes, when you miss with the big guy, there is no redo. I mean, those guys are really hard to get over and hard to keep over unless they are like Kane or Undertaker or something like that in a major spot. He is not in that spot." [From 40:05 to 41:00]
Missed this week's SmackDown? Check out the full results of the blue brand by clicking here.
"I'm not the judge" - Dutch Mantell says how WWE fans perceive Braun Strowman is what matters the most
While everyone can have their personal preferences, WWE will eventually only push those talents who have shown to have a strong connection with the fanbase. Braun Strowman might not be amongst Dutch Mantell's favorites, but the giant still gets decent reactions whenever he appears in front of a live crowd.
Mantell, who managed a few legendary big guys during his career, noted that the company will continue to utilize Strowman as long as he attracts attention consistently.
The veteran highlighted that WWE officials are also probably keeping track of how Braun Strowman is being received on the house show circuit.
"I've done it; I've taken big guys and tried to do something with them, and all of a sudden, but as long as the people like it. That's the barometer for this. I'm not the judge. The fans are. They will use him. I mean, if they were falling out of their seats when he came out there, you know, then they would be doing a lot more with him. I think we're not seeing what the creative team is seeing or the booker is seeing on these live house shows," the veteran added. [From 41:00 to 41:45]
What are your thoughts on Braun Strowman's work in WWE? Let us know in the comments section below.
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