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The first singles contest of the WWE Royal Rumble card got confirmed on this week's SmackDown, though Dutch Mantell doesn't seem too thrilled about the announced Ladder Match.
The feud between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens continued on the blue brand as KO refused to give up the Winged Eagle World Title and demanded another shot at Rhodes, this time without a referee being involved. Nick Aldis would announce the two for a ladder match to, once and for all, put an end to their arguments.
Following SmackDown, Dutch Mantell honestly admitted that he "hated" the stipulation for the upcoming Royal Rumble match:
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"But other than that, it was what it was, and I hated the Ladder Match stipulation. It just didn't excite me at all!" [From 50:54 to 51:05]
Check out the video below:
Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens will be a rare singles Ladder Match as most recent bouts involving the stipulation in WWE have featured more than two superstars.
Dutch Mantell spoke about the Ladder Match potentially losing its drawing power. He wasn't too happy with the latest SmackDown episode. The former WWE manager wasn't feeling this week's show and believed there was a glaring formatting issue:
"Well, Ladder Matches, you only see so many of them; when you continually do them throughout the year, they lose their drawing power because you can see every finish and what is left to do. So, if they wanted me to buy a ticket to see a Ladder Match, I'd say, 'Nah, I'd go watch this other movie down the street.' I'll wish them luck, I just didn't enjoy the show, I don't think it was well put together." [From 51:36 to 52:16]
Kevin Owens has been a disgruntled man since WWE Saturday Night's Main Event and whether he gets his retribution or not, the Ladder Match against Cody Rhodes will be one of the most prominent bouts on the WWE Royal Rumble card.
While using any quotes, please credit Smack Talk and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.
