"A good opponent for Roman Reigns" - Dutch Mantell says WWE is grooming record-breaking star for a major push (Exclusive) 

Roman Reigns is WWE's most bankable superstar at the moment, and his long reign of dominance has seen the company steadily run out of credible opponents for The Tribal Chief. During the latest Smack Talk episode, Dutch Mantell commented on Gunther's potential as a future main event player on SmackDown.

The man formerly known as WALTER has squashed local competitors lately and looks set to receive a healthy push during the post-WrestleMania season.

While Gunther could be a future rival for Reigns, Mantell believes that the former NXT United Kingdom Champion is also an ideal opponent in the making for programs against Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre. Gunther held the UK title for a record-setting 870 days, the longest championship reign in WWE since 1988.

The former WWE manager was impressed by the Austrian star's look and was looking forward to seeing him develop on television:

"He is a good opponent for Roman Reigns, a good opponent for Drew McIntyre, and a good opponent for Randy Orton," said Dutch Mantell. "So, when you think, now you've got a bench a little bit. The bench is starting to take shape a little bit, but the only heel you've really got is Roman. He is the only heel you've got that's working and marketable. So, if they get Gunther over there, I mean, I love the look. I like his little manager; I like the red outfits they got on." [54:45 - 55:27]

Dutch Mantell on the lukewarm WWE fan reaction to Gunther's SmackDown matches

Gunther picked up a comfortable victory over Teddy Goodz on SmackDown, and the former NXT star now has two consecutive wins under his belt on the main roster. While the live crowd is yet to warm up to the 34-year-old superstar, Dutch Mantell said there was no need to worry.

The one-sided squash matches don't give fans much to cheer about, and Mantell noted that the early reception should not hamper Vince McMahon and his team's plans to prepare Gunther for a prominent spot.

"They are prepping him right now. So, if the people are quiet, they know that guy is not going to beat him; what else are they going to yell for anyway? They know he is a job guy," explained Dutch. "They know he is getting his a** beat. They just wanted to enjoy seeing his a** beating. They are not taking it; he is!" [54:20 - 54:37]

Could Gunther establish himself as a top-tier talent on WWE SmackDown in the upcoming months? Sound off in the comments section below.

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