"They're taken in by privilege" - Dutch Mantell discusses backstage politics in WWE (Exclusive)

Discussing the current state of WWE, former manager Dutch Mantell touched upon favoritism and backstage politics in WWE.

Vince McMahon's company has been accused of pushing certain stars while turning a blind eye to many. The debates regarding favoritism and nepotism also emerge from time to time.

On the latest edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's Smack Talk, Dutch Mantell sat down with Rick Ucchino and Sid Pullar III to review last night's episode of WWE SmackDown. Mantell believes that certain people are on the roster due to sheer nepotism. Here's what he had to say:

"What is protecting The Usos? [It's their family]. So, and they would deny this, they are the privileged ones in this company because they're taken in by privilege. That's how [Nia Jax and Tamina] got in. Wrestling is political like that and it always has been. It has never really been as obvious as it is now.", said Dutch Mantell

You can check out the entire episode of Smack Talk in the video below:

Mantell has spent a sizeable portion of his career in WWE and has been in the wrestling industry for almost five decades. He is privy to the industry's backstage politics in wrestling as an integral part of various promotions.

Dutch Mantell's history with WWE

Dutch Mantell first worked with WWE in the mid-1990s under the moniker of Uncle Zebakiah. Mantell managed The Blu Brothers and Justin Bradshaw (JBL) for a brief period.

Following his departure from WWE in 1996, Mantell worked for various promotions, starting with TNA (now known as IMPACT). He was a writer and was integral in kickstarting the Knockouts division. Following TNA, Mantell worked for multiple companies on the independent circuit, further cementing his legacy.

Mantell later returned to WWE as Zeb Colter, where he managed multiple stars and helped them get one step closer to stardom. He was paired with Cesaro, Jack Swagger, and even Alberto Del Rio. The latter won the WWE United States Championship as soon as he was aligned with Zeb Colter.

You can now find Dutch Mantell on Sportskeeda Wrestling's YouTube channel, where he reviews WWE SmackDown and AEW Rampage weekly alongside Sid Pullar III and Rick Ucchino.

Do you think nepotism and favoritism exist in WWE? What are your thoughts on Mantell's comments regarding privilege? Let us know what you think by sounding off in the comments section below.

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