'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Following last night's episode of WWE SmackDown, former booker Dutch Mantell criticized WWE's booking of Shinsuke Nakamura and the fact that he was losing to lower card talent despite being the Intercontinental Champion.
To draw a comparison with AEW, Dutch Mantell used the example of Dante Martin, another mid-card talent who has been booked to look like a star, often picking up wins on T.V.
On the latest episode of SmackDown, the team of Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs took on Los Lotharios. After a hard-fought match, Los Lotharios (Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo) picked up the win over the Intercontinental Champion and his partner.
On the latest edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's Smack Talk, Dutch Mantell and Rick Ucchino reviewed last night's episodes of AEW Rampage and WWE SmackDown. Mantell drew an interesting comparison between the booking on the two shows.
Here's what he had to say:
"I don't even know where [Nakamura] is booked 'cause I don't care, to tell you the truth, because they haven't done anything with him except put him with a guitar player and I hate the song. The song gets heat with me. He may be a great guitar player but I don't think it helps Nakamura. If you want to build someone, you gotta build that this guy, whoever he is, Nakamura I'll say, that he has the potential to beat somebody but to take him into the ring against two guys (Los Lotharios) and beat him, I think it does more harm. I don't even think it helps the guys who won. You need to use job guys in the place of Nakamura and Boogs."
"You look over to AEW, they have guys that they would use as job guys in WWE, they're the best, say Dante Martin, he's the best in the card over there. WWE would use him to put guys over but [AEW is] using him very very good and they're getting him over. They got him more over now than WWE could get him over in 2 year because they put him out there", said Dutch Mantell
You can check out the full show review and more of Dutch's thoughts in the video below.
Shinsuke Nakamura's run as WWE Intercontinental Champion so far
Shinsuke Nakamura captured the Intercontinental Championship after defeating Apollo Crews on an episode of WWE SmackDown in August. Since then, Nakamura has only had one televised Intercontinental Title defense.
Nakamura is more often seen tagging alongside Rick Boogs compared to having singles matches. What are your thoughts on Shinsuke Nakamura's run as the Intercontinental Champion so far? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
If you use any quotes from this article, please add a h/t to Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the YouTube video.
