Dutch Mantell, a seasoned figure in the wrestling industry, recently shared his insights on the perceived tensions emerging between WWE legends The Rock and Roman Reigns during a recent episode of WWE SmackDown.
In the latest installment of SmackDown, Roman Reigns found himself visibly frustrated as the audience in Glendale, Arizona, displayed reluctance to acknowledge his presence.
Despite his readiness to leave the arena, Paul Heyman, his associate, intervened, revealing that The Great One, The Rock, was scheduled to make an appearance, prompting them to stay.
Reflecting on the segment on Smack Talk, Mantell lauded WWE’s storytelling prowess, emphasizing the audience’s captivation throughout the extended segment.
He highlighted the anticipation surrounding The Rock’s interaction with the fans, noting a hint of internal tension within The Bloodline, particularly evident when Heyman restrained Roman from leaving prematurely.
“This is the longest in-ring, to start a WWE show that I’ve ever seen. But it was done so well, so masterful that nobody cared. Really, nobody wanted it to end. It was getting tedious at the end. They had them from go to wow. And that part with Paul Heyman in there. You could tell Roman said, ‘Hey let’s go’ and he’s like, ‘No we can’t go right now.’ Then you’re thinking now they’ve slided The Rock. Now they’re gonna have to answer for that. So that held them through the break.” [From 1:23 onwards]
The underlying tensions within The Bloodline resurfaced when Roman sought acknowledgment from The Rock, resulting in a momentary pause before The Brahma Bull conceded amidst chants of “You sold out.”
These subtle dynamics hint at deeper complexities within The Bloodline, prompting speculation about potential rifts within the faction and its impact on future storylines.
As Mantell’s analysis suggests, the prolonged segment showcased WWE’s ability to engage the audience and create suspense, leaving fans intrigued about the dynamics between The Rock and Roman Reigns, as well as the potential ramifications for The Bloodline moving forward.
