Legend wanted to betray 4-time WWE world champion after Vince McMahon storyline idea failed (Exclusive)

Dutch Mantell recently recalled how he pitched an interesting storyline development after Vince McMahon paired him with Alberto Del Rio.

Mantell, known in WWE as Zeb Colter, began managing Del Rio in 2015 after previously working alongside Cesaro and Jack Swagger. The Colter-Del Rio alliance largely revolved around their nationalities, with Mantell’s anti-immigration character attempting to unite Mexico and the United States as “MexAmerica.”

Speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling’s “Smack Talk,” Mantell explained that he wanted the storyline to result in him joining forces with Swagger again.

“My idea was that Jack intercepts us in the ring and literally cusses me out, ‘You mean I followed you for a year and you’re just a liar and you didn’t mean anything you said?’” Mantell explained. “I [would have] said, ‘No, Jack, I didn’t do that to you.’ And he comes down there, and I was on crutches. He would kick one of those crutches out and I would fall down.” [8:44-9:08]

The storyline would have featured a moment in which Mantell betrayed Del Rio by hitting him with a crutch. However, WWE’s decision-makers did not agree with his suggestion.

“Then Del Rio goes out to defend me and he backs Jack up the ramp, and he says, ‘Hey, if you wanna pick on somebody, pick on somebody who’ll fight back, or that can fight back. If you want it, let’s go right now,’” Mantell said. “Now he’s passed me up the ramp a little bit and I get up and I get my crutch. And when he comes back, right when he turns, I hit him. Bam.” [9:09-9:32]

“And then we beat the c**p out of [Del Rio]. Now it’s apparent that this whole thing was a set-up to get Del Rio, and it would have worked. But they went, ‘Oh no…’” [9:32-9:45]

The “MexAmerica” angle only lasted six weeks and was widely viewed as a failure. Mantell discussed the storyline in the video above. He also gave his thoughts on whether WWE will improve with Triple H overseeing creative instead of Vince McMahon.

---

Dutch Mantell pitched ideas to Vince McMahon in a unique way

On July 22, Vince McMahon retired amid several allegations of sexual misconduct. The former Chairman and CEO worked as WWE’s creative figurehead for 40 years, so talent often pitched ideas directly to him.

Dutch Mantell realized that McMahon was mostly passionate about ideas that he came up with himself. For that reason, he created a strategic way to suggest his own storylines to the 76-year-old.

“There’s a key to pitching angles with Vince or the group,” Mantell said. “You’ve got to go in there and start talking to them and have them kinda add a little bit to it, and they end up thinking it’s their idea. If you can get your idea and get them thinking it’s their idea, well, you’re made.” [9:47-10:14]

Mantell added that Vince McMahon once asked a team of writers for ideas on how to book his storyline with Alberto Del Rio. As nobody else was on board with the story to begin with, the question was apparently met with silence.

---

Do you think WWE storylines will improve under Triple H? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!

---

Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling’s “Smack Talk” and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.