The Miracle That Is Jinder Mahal

‘The Modern Day Maharaja!’

Remember the moniker as it is synonymous with greatness and I’m here to tell you why.

Jinder Mahal began his WWE career in 2011 as the brother-in-law of the Great Khali. He was later saddled with a group of naive wrestlers – although both now former champions in their own right – in Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre, collectively known as, 3MB. During this time, Mahal began sporting a body that looked as though it hadn’t seen the inside of a gym in its life. He was struggling to make an impression and these efforts weren’t exclusive to what was happening on-camera.

In 2013, Mahal was released from his WWE contract.

While on the independent wrestling circuit, Mahal confessed to a battle with alcohol and eating junk food to try to soothe his woes of a failed career. Fortunately, Mahal managed to “kick out” of his battle and – fueled with a burning desire to recapture his WWE career – worked his butt off in the gym and created the more herculean image we see today.

https://youtu.be/yY91mzBXVX4

Last year, WWE catapulted Mahal to the highest of heights and made him WWE champion, where he defeated the likes of Randy Orton several times in the process. Some argue his rise to stardom was too fast or that it was politics and WWE was attempting to pacify their Indian fan base. I disagree with those assumptions in part.

Yes, WWE should have softened Mahal’s rise to the top of the company, but personally, I feel WWE corporate saw Jinder’s HHH-like transformation, his dedication to the craft and gimmick, and gave him the title because he deserved it. Perhaps fans were unable to accept his meteoric rise because they have grown accustomed in recent years to top contenders who no longer look and carry themselves in the fashion of what a true champion is meant to be. Jinder does it to perfection.

Jinder Mahal is great there is no question of that. He has vastly improved on the mic, is in top physical shape and he can wrestle. If you don’t believe me just go back and watch his final WWE Championship defense against AJ Styles. Sure, people have and will continue to argue that it was all Styles but it takes two to pull off a genuinely compelling bout and this was nothing short of that.

Mahal is by far the most compelling component within the WWE United States Championship picture at the moment and with any luck, he will go on to defeat Randy Orton for the belt at WrestleMania 34. But let me just say, I think Randy Orton is a great U.S champion and I wish it could have been someone else Mahal was on target to defeat. By giving Mahal the United States title, if this indeed is the plan, WWE will essentially reboot his fumbled rise to the top.

The modern-day Maharajah is a character prefectly tailored for the U.S. title and a solid run with the belt could and should put him back in-line to maybe one day recapture the WWE Championship that he held so dear. I sure hope this is the case, because the Maharaja is great.

Maharaja, Jinder Mahal!

• WrestleMania 34
• United States Championship
• wwe us title
• bobby roode
• WWE SmackDown Live
• Randy Orton
• Jinder Mahal
• wwe

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