Former WWE manager Dutch Mantell recently shared his insights on rising stars like Jade Cargill and Dakota Kai taking center stage on this week’s SmackDown.
With notable absences including Roman Reigns, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes, the blue brand relied on emerging talents to carry the show.
The episode marked the official main roster debut of Jade Cargill, while Dakota Kai delivered a standout performance in the main event against Bianca Belair.
In an exclusive interview with Wrestling’s Smack Talk podcast, veteran wrestler Dutch Mantell acknowledged the episode as a filler on the Road to WrestleMania XL.
However, Mantell commended the female talent for delivering an impressive show in the absence of established main event stars. He particularly praised Dakota Kai, describing her as an underrated talent who held her own against Bianca.
“Well, Jade Cargill looked great, she looked good, and Dakota Sky [Kai]. I hadn’t paid a lot of attention to Dakota Kai. That girl is really good, really good. She can hold her own with all of them, and Jade Cargill looked great. There were parts of the show that just put me to sleep. That’s what maintenance shows do. They just remind you, hey this is what we got coming up, but we can’t give all of it away here on this TV show. It was a good maintenance show, I guess, but I almost went to sleep in the middle of it,”
Dutch Mantell said. [1:55 – 3:12]
This week’s episode of SmackDown served as a crucial stop on the Road to WrestleMania XL.
As the anticipation builds for The Show of Shows, fans eagerly await the developments in the final week leading up to the event.
