Dutch Mantell doesn’t think Ryback was ready for the main event role WWE gave him in the early 2010s. Mantell said the wrestler’s first run through overmatched opponents created interest, but his lack of experience became more apparent as the competition changed.
Mantell answered a viewer’s question about Ryback on a September 21 Story Time with Dutch Mantell clip. The viewer argued that Ryback’s WWE work deserves more credit, citing his early presentation and rivalries with John Cena, Mark Henry and The Shield.
I don’t think he gets a bad rap because I don’t think he was really prepared to be in the spot that they put him in. That’s what I think happened to Ryback. Because the spot they wanted him in, they wanted to see if he could do the same thing that John Cena had done. John Cena more or less got himself over. I don’t think Ryback knew how to get himself over. His first month, or three to four weeks or whatever, he went in there against overmatched opponents and he just beat the crap out of them. … Then they put him in there with more advanced talent and his inexperience really shined through.
Mantell recalled a potential direction for Ryback involving another wrestler that never materialized. He said the idea appeared to disappear the following week, an example of how quickly a push could change.
Then the next week they did nothing with him at all. … And it happened to Ryback, and I think it’s happened to a few more guys. But the reason they did that with Ryback is because basically lack of experience.
When asked directly whether Ryback belonged in the main event at that stage, Mantell said no. He gave Ryback credit for delivering a believable, serious interview, while remaining unconvinced that he could sustain the role against more experienced opponents.
No, he wasn’t. He had a good interview. You believed his interview because he was serious. He was serious as a heart attack. But he wasn’t experienced enough to move up with the higher talent, the higher heels. He was a babyface. He was inexperienced and I don’t think the people would have bought it.
Ryback said earlier this year that he had made peace with WWE and urged fans to move on from his past disputes with the company. Mantell’s comments addressed the booking and readiness of his earlier run.
Source: Story Time with Dutch Mantell, “Was Ryback Underappreciated in WWE?”.
