Current WWE Champion Jinder Mahal recently did an interview with Metro to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics including his journey through the indies after his initial WWE release, almost opening up a Subway shop afterward, and his run-in with Rob Gronkowski at WrestleMania 33. Here are the highlights:
Working the indies helping him regain confidence:
“Yeah I just kept myself busy. I just kept wrestling and kept improving myself. Like when I was in 3MB before I left, I was kind of stuck in the rut. I had lost my confidence. Like I wasn’t having long matches, I wasn’t the main focal point of the show. So when I went away to the independents, a lot of times I was in the main events, you know I was wrestling for 20 minutes and literally built my confidence back.
“I was able to grow as a person both inside and outside of the ring and you know to get more mature. All these things helped me to get more focused and you know to regain the drive that I used to have, which I kind of lost and became complacent, which you can never do in the WWE. I had to go through that to live that. Now it’s about giving 100% every day and I’ll continue to do so as long as I’m in the WWE.”
Almost opening a Subway shop after getting released from WWE:
“I think it got misconstrued a little bit, I wasn’t going to quit wrestling, I would never quit wrestling as long as I can wrestle, but I wasn’t going to pursue it as my main career. I was exploring other options, other businesses, I was in fact going to open up a Subway franchise, but I decided I’m too young, I’m not even in my prime yet, and if I give this my all, give it my best one more time, I could make it top the top. Which I did, I gave it my all, and now I’m WWE Champion.”
Having unfinished business with New England Patriots’ Tight End Rob Gronkowski:
“It was a great opportunity, a tremendous moment and a moment that really got a lot of press. Not just from media here in the USA but all over the world, a lot of eyes were seeing Jinder Mahal. It was great. I believe I would have won if it wasn’t for Gronk, so I still have a bone to pick with him! All in all it was a great experience, I think Gronk one day when he’s done with football could definitely become a WWE superstar and I look forward to that possibility, because we have some unfinished business.”
You can read Jinder Mahal’s full interview with Metro at this link.
