WWE Rumors: Polarizing Superstar Reportedly Set To Receive Major Push
Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal made his long-awaited return to television last week, but he might not be there simply to fill out the Monday Night Raw roster. According to Sportskeeda‘s Tom Colohue, there is word backstage that Mahal could be set for another push by the company.
Colohue noted that Mahal is such an effective heel, and that another push will result in him gaining heat from the crowd. This is the desired reaction for any heel, and Mahal’s ability to anger fans just by making his presence felt could work in his favor.
Of course, the main reason behind the former champion’s reported push is related to a new lucrative business deal that WWE recently signed in a foreign territory. Mahal is reportedly seen as the ideal superstar to push in order to expand WWE’s brand abroad.
“[T]here is a huge new TV deal that WWE have going on in India and they want to push someone who appeals to that market. So Jinder Mahal, whether he is getting championship opportunities or not, he is definitely going to be pushed hard.”
It remains to be seen if Mahal will be given a title push, but if he does challenge for the WWE Championship, he’ll face his old 3MB stablemate Drew McIntyre. For many fans, 3MB was seen as a jobber stable — one that saw both McIntyre and Mahal team with Heath Slater. The stable would go on to lose most of their matches. After the group disbanded, Mahal and McIntyre were both released from the company. However, both performers have since returned to WWE, and both have become World Champions in that time.
Mahal’s reign was shrouded in controversy. When he won the title from Randy Orton at Backlash 2017, it came out of the blue. Up until that moment, he’d served as a lower card enhancement talent on WWE television, losing the majority of his matches. When he won the title, he had no momentum behind him, and he held the championship for six months by cheating his way through matches.
After losing the title, the superstar’s stock plummeted. While he did have a brief run with the United States Championship, it didn’t take long for Mahal to return to his original position on the card. In the eyes of some fans, though, this devalued the WWE Championship even further — as the former titleholder wasn’t booked to look remotely strong.
However, if the company pushes Mahal the right way this time around, his ascent might be more organic. This could result in him being accepted by fans as a top star, eventually.
