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Wrestling legend & former WWE manager Dutch Mantell recently addressed Roman Reigns' backstage altercation with Kevin Owens after Survivor Series.
Last Saturday, The Tribal Chief led The Bloodline in a War Games match against Kevin Owens, Drew McIntyre, and The Brawling Brutes. During the bout, the Prizefighter slapped the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion across the face, reportedly busting his eardrum.
After the show, reports suggested The Head of The Table had a backstage altercation with Owens over the incident.
Speaking on his Story Time with Dutch Mantell podcast, the wrestling legend addressed the slap, stating that Owens was "careless." He also disclosed that he does not blame Reigns for his reaction:
I don't blame Roman because see, Roman, you got to put everything back on a personal level. (...) He's thinking, 'wait a minute,' you know, that's gonna affect his money-making abilities if it went south. And I don't blame him for raising hell because Kevin Owens can apologize his a** off, it still doesn't help what's already been done. And it made news because Roman is not noted for this. But I don't blame him for saying 'what the hell are you doing?'" Mantell said. (1:40 - 2:47)
Mantell also believes that Reigns has sent a warning to the entire locker room by confronting Owens:
"I saw the match, I don't know if he went ahead and receipted Kevin Owens then that would have messed the match up, which I do applaud Roman's professionalism and that he didn't do that. But he let him know it in the dressing room and he let everybody else know it in the dressing room too... Because you hit me and I'm warning everybody else, you know, if you work with him you watch him because he can get excited," he added. (3:37 - 4:13)
Watch footage of Roman Reigns suffering a potential injury at WWE Survivor Series 2022 here.
In case you missed it, you can check out the SmackDown results here.
Kevin Owens wants a shot at Roman Reigns' Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
In January 2021, Kevin Owens went head-to-head against Roman Reigns in a Last Man Standing match for the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble. However, The Prizefighter failed to defeat The Tribal Chief.
In an interview with After the Bell, Owens disclosed that he wants another shot at the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion:
"I don't think much has changed, honestly [since their last match]. I think I was pretty well equipped back then too and it just didn't work out that way for, you know, a multitude of reasons. I just think there's unfinished business... I'd love to get to do that one more time for my own benefit, just to be able to hear what we can do with the fans in the stands," he said. (27:11 - 28:06)
Fans think a former Roman Reigns rival could soon win the Undisputed WWE Universal Title. Check out the details here.
Please credit Story Time with Dutch Mantell and give a H/T to Sportskeeda if you use the above transcription.
