WWE's final show of 2024 of their blue brand ended on a high note as it was announced that Kevin Owens will be facing the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion, American Nightmare Cody Rhodes. It all started when the Smackdown general manager, Nick Aldis, asked Owens to return the iconic Winged Eagle Championship belt that he stole last week, but the Canadian wrestler refused and expressed his frustration over his defeat against Rhodes.
While Owens is known for his incredible promo-cutting skills, on Saturday he upset the former American professional wrestling manager, booker, and retired professional wrestler Dutch Mantell. Mantell, in a recent conversation, stated that he was not impressed by Owens' Saturday promo.
What Mantell had to say
Mantell stated that he was disappointed with the promo as Owens could have taken a different approach when he was asked to give up the Winged Eagle Championship belt. He suggested that Owens should have initially agreed to relinquish the belt, but when Aldis approached to accept it, Owens could have pulled it back and demanded a rematch against Rhodes, ensuring no interference from the referee.
"Well, I didn't like Kevin Owens' in-ring interview usually, I like it but I didn't like it tonight, Mantell stated. "What I would have done, I would have had Owens say, yeah, you may be right, I hate to do this, but you made it almost impossible for me to continue here. He goes to hand him the belt, and just when Aldis reaches out to it, he pulls it back. Wait a minute? Under one condition, blah blah blah! Then they start arguing back and forth," he added.
Later on in the segment, Cody Rhodes appeared, and to have his revenge for Kevin Owens' last week's brutal attack on him, he asked for a ladder match at the upcoming Royal Rumble, which GM Aldis agreed to. The 38th annual WWE Royal Rumble is set to take place on February 1, 2025, at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Besides Owens and Rhodes, Randy Orton, AJ Styles, The Rock, and John Cena are some of the other superstars teased to be featured on the show.