"I knew Paul Heyman was going to be in there" - WWE veteran reveals reaction to SmackDown twist (Exclusive)

WWE presented a packed SmackDown episode this week that saw the returns of Paul Heyman and CM Punk. Following the show, Dutch Mantell shared his thoughts and admitted he could see Heyman's involvement from a mile away.

The final segment of the blue brand had the OG and new Bloodline factions in a standoff in the middle of the ring. The crowd popped loudly once Paul Heyman's voice was heard and The Wiseman came out to reveal he had found the fifth member of Roman Reigns' WarGames team.

CM Punk's music hit, and the Second City Saint joined the other babyfaces in the ring to end SmackDown with a brawl for the ages. Roman Reigns and CM Punk hit the Spear and the GTS before posing in the ring as the show went off the air.

While reacting to the angle on Smack Talk, WWE veteran Dutch Mantell said he knew Paul Heyman would appear. However, Mantell was surprised by CM Punk's comeback and noted that the closing segment of SmackDown was one of the best he'd witnessed all year.

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"I knew Paul Heyman was going to be in there, but since I don't watch RAW, you know, CM Punk has moved off my radar. So, I didn't even think CM Punk, but I knew Heyman would be there. It was really one of the better segments I've seen on SmackDown this year because they put it together fine." [From 4:00 onwards]

With Punk joining forces with Reigns, WWE gave fans another big reason to tune into Survivor Series WarGames for a match that could shape the early storylines for 2025.

Please give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.

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