In a recent interview, legendary wrestling booker and manager Dutch Mantell criticized John Cena’s public support for Vince McMahon following accusations of sexual assault and trafficking by former WWE employee Janel Grant.
During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show on January 25, Cena expressed his affection for McMahon and his desire to assist him amidst the allegations.
Reacting to Cena’s stance, Mantell shared his perspective on Sportskeeda Wrestling’s Smack Talk with Rick Ucchino and Sid Pullar III.
He suggested that Cena could have handled the situation differently by distancing himself from the controversy while still acknowledging his appreciation for McMahon’s past contributions:
“I think he [John Cena] would have been better off by just trying to distance himself from the situation,” Mantell said. “Maybe not distance himself from Vince, but here he’s saying, I don’t know what he’s saying, to tell you the truth, you can put any kind of damn explanation to it you want. What he’s trying to say is, ‘I wish this hadn’t have happened. This is not the Vince I love. Vince made me 30 million or 40 or 50 million dollars, so I appreciate him there.'”
Mantell emphasized his belief that there are significant issues with Cena’s comments, particularly given the serious nature of the allegations.
He suggested that Cena’s vocal support for McMahon could be interpreted as downplaying the severity of the situation, which could have been avoided by maintaining a more neutral stance.
Mantell’s viewpoint contrasts with other wrestlers’ responses to the allegations. Seth Rollins and Randy Orton, for instance, expressed their dismay and discomfort with the accusations against McMahon.
Reflecting on the aftermath of Grant’s lawsuit, McMahon denied the allegations and subsequently resigned as a board member of WWE’s parent company TKO “out of respect.”
Despite McMahon’s denial, Mantell maintains his stance that Cena’s public support was ill-advised given the gravity of the situation.
