AJ Styles throws first pitch at today’s Phillies game
WWE United States Champion AJ Styles threw out the first pitch today at the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers game at Citizens Bank Park earlier today. Styles will defend his United States Championship against Kevin Owens at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia later tonight.
Jinder Mahal says The Great Khali has given him some advice for tonight’s match
Jinder Mahal will defend his WWE Championship tonight at WWE Battleground against Randy Orton in a Punjabi Prison match. The Punjabi Prison was introduced in 2006 and build for former WWE Superstar The Great Khali. Mahal revealed in a recent interview with The Times of India that he has recently received advice from The Great Khali. Here are Mahal’s comments to The Times of India:
“I chose the Punjabi Prison Match because the match at MITB was in St. Louis which is Orton’s home town. It was on his terms; his father was sitting in the front row. So, when I had the chance, I wanted my match on my terms and my terms are Punjabi Prison match. It was invented by the Great Khali and he has given me some tricks and tips to how to win the match and I am more than ready to defend my title.”
NBC News recently recently spoke to WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. Below are some of the highlights:
Being shy on his promos:
“I’m very down to earth, quiet. I’m kind of a homebody. I have a little dog. She keeps me company,” Mahal told NBC News. “I just like to train and diet and get my rest so my body can recover so I can wrestle.”
“It’s an entertainment industry, and I know you have to turn up the volume, which I’m now comfortable doing,” he added. “At first I was very shy to talk into the mic and to talk in front of people.”
His finishing move being a tribute to The Great Khali’s uncle:
“His finishing move was the cobra clutch,” Dhesi said. “As a tribute to him, my finishing move is the cobra clutch into a slam.”
His physical transformation:
“You put in the hard work and then the result comes,” Dhesi said. “It’s not that you see the result and then you put in the hard work. I was preparing myself.”
“There’s a saying, ‘force the result,’” he added. “I was constantly getting in better shape, really watching what I eat, improving on all the facets of my game, so when the opportunity came, I would be ready. You have to stay ready.”
Jinder Mahal was recently interviewed by Nick Piccone of PhillyVoice.com to promote this Sunday’s WWE Battleground PPV. Here are some highlights from the interview:
Thoughts on the Punjabi Prison match and performing in Philadelphia:
“I love performing in Philly. The fans aren’t scared to voice their opinions. Sometimes their opinions are split, sometimes half the crowd is chanting one thing, sometimes half the crowd is chanting the other. But, you know, I look forward to it. I really don’t know how they’re going to react. That’s what’s going to make the match exciting. I don’t know if they’re going to boo me out of the building or if they’re going to boo Orton out of the building.
I do definitely know for sure they’re going to enjoy the match. It’s a Punjabi Prison match and it hasn’t happened in 10 years, and the structure is truly a monstrosity. I brought the Punjabi Prison this week on SmackDown, and it’s a spectacle. You’ve got to be there live just to appreciate the sheer size of it. It is a very risky match – for example, I went a little bit earlier and climbed the cage; it’s high and I’m scared of heights – but I know the Philly crowd is going to be rocking that night and I gotta do what I gotta do. I’m going to take the risks that I have to take to retain the WWE Championship.”
His goals in WWE:
“Even before my return, I was focused on getting better and better and better and better. I haven’t hit my prime yet. I’m constantly improving. I haven’t even hit my peak. I’ve got many years ahead of me. There’s more title runs. I will one day become a WWE Hall of Famer. I want to be one of the all-time greats and that’s based on hard work and I’m going to do whatever it takes to be the best.”
On the Punjabi Prison structure, previous Punjabi Prison matches and his plan for Sunday:
The first one was Big Show and The Undertaker. The second one was Khali and Batista. So, yeah, I’ve definitely watched them. I’m a student of the game. I’m making a game plan and seeing what I can do, but it can’t really compare because those guys are a little bit bigger framed than myself and Orton. Me and Orton can really truly have a great, great match and steal the show just because of our size and the way we move. Our athleticism brings a whole other dynamic. It’s truly a match that hasn’t happened before.
I can’t stress how solid this structure is. It must’ve taken hours and so many people to set up, and I’ve seen Elimination Chamber, I’ve seen Hell in a Cell, and this structure by far is way more impressive than both of them. I think this is the most dangerous match in WWE history because there are actually two cages, one’s the same size as the ring and the other one is quite a bit bigger than the ring … it’s comparable to Hell in a Cell. You’ve got to see this structure in person to appreciate the size of it.
I’m actually glad that it’s in Philadelphia because the place is gonna be rocking and I’m gonna need that energy to thrive off late in the match to climb up that cage. It’s going to be a grueling match.”
Where he sees himself in one year:
“In one year, I see myself as already main eventing WrestleMania, still WWE Champion, and you know what, I see Drew McIntyre being on SmackDown. I think that Drew McIntyre will be challenging me for my WWE Championship. That’s where I see myself in one year.”
You can check out the entire interview by clicking here.
WWE has been attempting to create an Indian hero out of Jinder Mahal. The current WWE champion was born in Calgary, but has family roots in India.
Recently WWE sent Indian Premiere League cricket champions, the Mumbai Indians, a WWE championship to honour their 3rd straight title victory. In response, the team sent Jinder Mahal a custom jersey.
It should be interesting to see how long WWE runs with Jinder as champion. The decision to put the title on him was made with less than a month of pre-planning, so it is unclear how committed they are to their current direction.
Ticket sales for Sunday’s Battleground event in Philadelphia are not selling well. Jinder’s push however, will most likely be evaluated based on Network subscribers in India, and overall revenue coming out of the country. WWE’s social media numbers are higher in India than in any other country.
Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English has been added to Sunday’s WWE Battleground 2017 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. The two will be on the Battleground Kickoff pre-show, and previously worked together on the Backlash Kickoff show with Dillinger winning.
Here is the updated card for Battleground coming out of Tuesday’s SmackDown:
WWE Title: Punjabi Prison
– Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal (c)
WWE United States Title
– Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles (c)
SmackDown Tag Team Titles
– The New Day vs. The Usos (c)
Flag Match
Rusev vs. John Cena
5-Way Elimination To Determine Women’s #1 Contender
– Charlotte Flair vs. Lana vs. Becky Lynch vs. Tamina Snuka vs. Natalya
– Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin
Kickoff Pre-show
– Aiden English vs. Tye Dillinger
Remember to join us this Sunday for live play-by-play Batteground coverage and discussion all night, starting at 7 PM ET.
Kurt Angle on CM Punk returning to wrestling in the future
RAW GM Kurt Angle answered a few questions on his Facebook page a couple of days ago. A fan asked Angle about CM Punk’s MMA future and a possible return to professional wrestling. Angle responded with the following:
“I hope he comes back. I think his MMA career is over. He needs to go back to what he does best!”
Randy Orton returning to SmackDown on Tuesday
WWE Superstar Randy Orton has not been seen on SmackDown since July 4th because he was filming the new WWE Studios movie “Changeland”. Orton will make his return to SmackDown this week in the final episode before WWE Battleground. Orton will face Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship in a Punjabi Prison match at the PPV.
Sasha Banks pokes fun at Alexa Bliss on Instagram
WWE posted a photo of Alexa Bliss on their Instagram account earlier today that stated that “#LittleMissBliss always has something up her sleeve”. Sasha Banks left this comment on the photo, “Yeah Paige’s jacket pfpfpfp”.
WWE.com announced a new match for Smackdown Live! tonight from San Antonio. Tye Dillinger will take on WWE champion, Jinder Mahal, in a non-title match.
Last week on Smackdown, it was Jinder’s Battleground opponent, Randy Orton, who was in singles action against Aiden English.
Preview of Dillinger vs. Mahal
WWE.com posted the following regarding tonight’s match between Jinder Mahal and Tye Dillinger:
“As one of the final three competitors in last week’s special Fourth of July Battle Royal, Tye Dillinger was so impressive that he has now been granted arguably the biggest opportunity of his career tonight – a non-title contest against WWE Champion Jinder Mahal.
However, while The Perfect 10 has proven that he can handle the numbers game, will he keep The Singh Brothers at bay long enough to score an important victory over The Modern-Day Maharaja? Will Mahal be too preoccupied with his upcoming Punjabi Prison Match against Randy Orton at WWE Battleground to repel the up-and-coming challenger? Don’t miss a moment of the action as Dillinger takes on Team Blue’s top champion.”
Jinder Mahal recently sat down with Indian media outlet, Sunday Guardian Live, about his
Jinder Mahal is scheduled to defend his WWE championship against Randy Orton in a Punjabi Prison match at the Battleground PPV on July 23rd.
Jinder Mahal Interview Highlights
On his conditioning and fitness routine:
“So, every morning when I wake up, before I eat anything, I drink water or may be black coffee without sugar or any calories. And then for half an hour, I do intense cardio and then I eat. I eat oatmeal, white protein shake and bananas and lift weights. And also, every day since last year, I have been doing yoga, as stretching is very important for recovery and injury prevention. Most of my workouts are athletic-based alongside body-building workouts.”
Who His Biggest WWE Rivals Are:
“Right now, I am focusing on my match with Randy Orton as I want to retain my title. But I think John Cena is my biggest competitor because for a long time, John Cena has been the face of the WWE and he won’t give up this title anytime soon. So, it would be challenging.”
On His Old Trainer, Bad News Brown:
“The greatest influence on my life, I would say would be my original trainer, Bad News Brown. He taught me so much, not only in wrestling but taught me so much in real life—what it is to be a man, taking care of your family, and that life outside the ring is also very important. He taught me that.”
Jinder’s Advice to Aspiring Wrestlers:
“My advice would be, stay motivated and work hard and don’t give up. Because miracles could happen and that big break could be right there in the corner. Stay focused and driven. Take care of your body and stay away from drugs and stuff like that. Respect your body and your coach. And keep working hard and nothing is impossible as long as you are ready to work hard for that.”
WWE Champion Jinder Mahal did an interview with Times Of India to talk about a bunch of different professional wrestling topics including how he and Seth Rollins fulfilled Triple H’s prophecy, improving his ability on the microphone when he cuts promos, and who comes up with the different ideas of how to present his character. Here are the highlights:
Fulfilling Triple H’s prophecy:
“I believe it was the prophecy made by Triple H in NXT at that time (Gold Rush tournament). Two young guys who he thought were the future of the business and it turned out to be true. Rollins is a multiple-time champion, I am the current World champion. We were having main event matches in NXT and now we are in the main events in WWE. So I believe it was the prophecy of Triple H. He is one of the smartest minds in the wrestling business and wrestlers that are in NXT right now, main eventing NXT shows are the guys who you are going see main-eventing WWE PPVs in Raw and SmackDown Live in the future.”
Continuing to improve on his promo work:
“My promos have improved because I put in a lot of effort during my time away from wrestling. I did promos in front of the mirror, I used to record it on my cell phone, used to review it and worked on it. I always go to Vince after every promo that I do on television and I seek his advice.”
Whose idea it is on how WWE presents his character:
“A lot of it is my idea and actually a lot has come from Triple H as well. He is also very hand on working behind the scenes. Presentation is everything and it is very important in this business I believe. Look at the all-time greats like the Bret Hart, The Rock- look at Finn Balor right now, his entrance is spectacular. It is so impactful and it sets the tone for the match. So, I have been throwing in my own set of ideas with Triple H, along with the backstage producers, stage crews, lighting guys and it is a combined effort. Credit doesn’t go to the people working backstage, but they are an integral part of the show.”
You can read “The Maharaja’s” full interview with Times Of Indiahere.
Jinder Mahal’s job right now is to become a star in India. We might not know for some time how he is faring in that regard, but we know he’s won over WWE fans in Vancouver.
At a recent house show in the city, Jinder and the Singh Brothers (who are from nearby Burnaby) received a thunderous ovation from the Canadian crowd.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVvzm7sg1fd/
Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers
It’s tough to say at the moment what the crowd reactions from Western Canada mean for Jinder. Vancouver has a large Indian population, 2nd in Canada to only Toronto. The loud reaction he received could then possibly be due to his representing Indo-Canadians, or just people of Indian descent. If he has indeed won over the Indo-Canadian population, it would be a good sign there is some buzz around him in India.
It’s also possible Jinder received the reaction he did because he is from nearby Calgary. If that is the case, the reaction he received will have little baring on how over he is in India.
On July 23rd 2017, the 3rd ever Punjabi Prison match will take place at Battleground.
Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton will face each other for the 3rd straight PPV, but this time they will wrestle surrounded by steel-enforced bamboo.
History of Punjabi Prison Matches
The first Punjabi Prison match took place at the Great American Bash 2006. The event was held at the Canseco Field House in Indianapolis. Khali would be removed from the match however, as elevated liver enzymes resulted in him not being medically cleared to compete.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX_1Fkz_xQ0
Khali would be cleared to compete at No Mercy 2007 however, as he would take on Batista in the 2nd ever Punjabi Prison match. Unfortunately for Khali, Batista was a little quicker than him at escaping the structure.
Oddly enough, all Punjabi Prison matches have taken place on Smackdown exclusive PPVs. Battleground 2017 will be no different.
The Punjabi Prison match, similar to the “Kennel From Hell” match (Attitude Era reference), involves a cage on the outside of the ropes, and a cage that extends a few feet away from the ring. In order to win, a wrestler must escape both structures. There are no pins, DQs, count-outs, or submissions.
WWE champion, Jinder Mahal, recently conducted an interview with the Times of India. He spoke of what his run as WWE champion has been like so far, treatment from WWE fans, and more.
Jinder Mahal Interview Highlights
On being thought of as a “Main Event Guy”:
“Being seen as a “Main Event Guy” is my biggest challenge.”
“The viewers and the fans hesitate to see me as a main-event guy. That is a challenge, my biggest challenge.Right now, my goal is to change people’s perception and make them believe that I belong here, and that I deserve to be the champion.“
On his quick ascension to the top of WWE:
“I don’t think the ascension has been really quick. People saw the rise but didn’t get to see the hard work I put in on the independent circuit over the last few years after I was released by the WWE. That got me here and that counts too.“
On being seen as an Outsider in WWE:
“Definitely , as an Indian, I’m seen as an outsider, and definitely , the jeers come from that. But I enjoy it, I even encourage it. Whatever noise they make when I’m in the ring, it motivates me, drives me to do better. I enjoy those jibes so I’m not affected by that at all.“
On potentially defending the WWE championship in India:
“Oh! That would be great. It’s definitely a possibility. In fact, it is one of the goals that drives me to remain champion for a long time. I want to be WWE Champion by the time WWE returns to India to do a live show, so that I can face and beat guys like Randy Orton, John Cena, or AJ Styles in front of the Indian fans.“
Charlotte Flair recently did an interview with ESPN and discussed all of the matches on this past Sunday’s Money in the Bank card. Charlotte gave her thoughts on Jinder Mahal’s rise in WWE, Lana’s SmackDown Women’s Championship opportunity and finding her place on SmackDown. Here are some highlights from the interview:
Lana getting a shot at the SmackDown Women’s Championship:
“I believe pressure creates diamonds. Lana’s either going to sink or swim. I think it’s an awesome opportunity, a unique way to debut her wrestling skills. I think there’s excitement around it. It’s not your typical, “Hey, I’m here on Raw or SmackDown. I’m having my first match ever.” No, she has wrestled at WrestleMania on a preshow. I can’t say that it’s her first match, and she’s had NXT matches, but I think having this opportunity is huge.
Anybody would want this opportunity. I want another title match. So, I think it’s exciting. I couldn’t be more excited for her. You either rise to the occasion or you don’t. I think she’s done a great job of transitioning from [being] with Rusev to maybe being a part of our division.”
Jinder Mahal’s rise to the top of WWE:
“Knowing Jinder Mahal on a backstage level, I couldn’t be more excited for his rise to this occasion, becoming this super-villain. He looks like a star. He works hard behind the scenes. Obviously, Randy Orton will go down as one of the greatest in history. So, I think, for Jinder, it’s got to be exciting to know that there’s so much anticipation around the match. There’s also the element of other legends being there, front row, and he’s at the center of it all with Randy. Randy’s been in this position multiple times. This is another walk in the park for him, probably. I’m just excited for Jinder, as a whole.”
Finding her place on SmackDown:
“I think that’s trying to figure out, “Am I a good guy, or am I bad guy? Am I still the dirtiest player in the game, or have I come to my senses and Becky Lynch has rubbed off on me?”
The girls that I’m working with are absolutely amazing. It’s not whether I prefer Raw or SmackDown; it’s more, “What’s my role? Who’s Charlotte?” I think I’m still trying to figure out.”
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.
WWE Champion Jinder Mahal recently did an interview with Sportskeeda to promote his upcoming title defense against Randy Orton at the Monday In The Bank (MITB) pay-per-view (PPV) this weekend (Sun. June 18, 2017). You can check out what he had to say here:
The Rock being his dream opponent:
“I think The Rock would be my perfect pick just because he’s such a huge Superstar and growing up he was one of my favourites, you know he was my idol. Just everything – from the way he spoke to his fashion sense to his style in the ring – you know he was a very fierce competitor. He was very strong and was always in tremendous shape and great on the microphone, very entertaining. So that would be my dream opponent of all time, to work a programme with the Rock. You know I think it’s still possible and can happen one day. He likes to come back to the WWE every once in a while. I think it’s a real chance that the opportunity can come to fruition.”
What he thinks about The Undertaker’s apparent retirement:
“I believe there is another chapter left but that’s the thing about the WWE, that’s the thing with Undertaker, he’s so mysterious, he’s so unpredictable, you don’t know what that chapter’s going to be.You know he can pop up anytime, he can pop on RAW or on SmackDown. He can pop up at WrestleMania, you just never know, but I believe that he still has something left. But that’s just my opinion. Even if he’s done, he’ll go down as one of the greatest of all time.”
Who he thinks will win the first ever female MITB Ladder Match:
“I think it’s a great opportunity for the women. You know WWE is very progressive and the women’s division is moving forward. They have a match just like the WWE male Superstars are having and it’s tremendous. It shows equality, which I know WWE is very proud about. It’s a chance to showcase the Women’s division because I do believe they are tremendous, tremendous athletes. They hold their own against any of the matches that the men are having. As far as winning, I’m going to say, Carmella. We haven’t seen a lot of her, she’s unpredictable and is kind of the dark horse. I would like to see her win.”
You can read Mahal’s full interview with Sportskeeda by clicking this link here.
Former WWE and WCW writer Vince Russo recently joined the Wrestling Inc. podcast to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. During the show, Russo commented on how he believes the WWE is ‘mishandling’ WWE Champion Jinder Mahal and SmackDown Live star Shinsuke Nakamura’s respective pushes within the company. You can check out what he had to say here:
WWE mishandling Jinder Mahal:
“What a mishandling of Jinder Mahal three weeks as the champion,” Russo said. “And they killed it. They dropped the ball… It’s horrendous what they did to this poor guy in the last three weeks.”
“This is what they do with all these guys, Raj. Everybody just becomes another name on the roster. If you go back and you look at the Attitude Era show, every single show was built around who the champion was. And that championship and that title. Every show was built around that. That’s the most important thing on the show.”
Shinsuke Nakamura’s poor push:
“Yesterday, three weeks after winning the title, this guy was handled just like another wrestler on the show,” Russo commented about this week’s episode of Smackdown. “Bro, the announcers couldn’t have no-sold it any-more. When Shane announced he [Jinder Mahal] had a match with Mojo, the freaking announcers no-sold it. This is your freaking champion!”
“There’s a basic problem with the WWE, I’ll you what it is and this is what’s happening,” Russo stated. “We used to spend a lot of Monday Night RAW and a lot of SmackDown building characters and developing storylines. So by the time we got to the match, it was a big deal. What happened now is they don’t know how to make characters anymore, there are no storylines. Everybody just wants to fight each other. So when you take away the character building and when you take away the storylines, all you have are matches.”
“So every week bro, as you’re working towards the pay-per-view, these guys are in the same ring,” Russo explained. “Whether it’s a six-man or a tag or an eight-man, by the time you get the pay-per-view, you’ve seen these guys mix it up like three or four times before and it doesn’t mean anything. And Nakamura, as unique as the guy is, bro, what have they done,” Russo asked. “I saw a vignette of a guy yesterday painting. That’s the character build of Nakamura. I mean, that’s supposed to get me excited about this freaking guy?”
Sheamus & Cesaro to defend the RAW Tag Team Championships against The Hardy Boyz on RAW
WWE has posted their preview for tomorrow night’s episode of RAW. Sheamus and Cesaro will defend their RAW Tag Team Championships against The Hardy Boyz. Matt and Jeff lost their titles last week at Extreme Rules in a Steel Cage Match. Matt Hardy took to Twitter and said that The Hardys will recapture their titles tomorrow night.
WWE Champion Jinder Mahal was live earlier today on Facebook from a gym in San Jose, Costa Rica. Mahal went through his warmup and a bunch of exercises during the livestream. If you are using the app or the video is not appearing, click here.
WWE Champion Jinder Mahal was recently a part of a media call last week and was asked a variety of questions regarding his recent push in the WWE since returning to the company. You can check out what “The Maharaja” had to say here below:
In the past, people have hailed SmackDown Live as the land of opportunities, and we have seen that with you and Breezango. When you moved to SmackDown Live, did you think you’d be able to climb the proverbial mountain in such a short period?
“I knew that I’d be able to climb the mountain, but in such a short period? I didn’t think so. I mean, SmackDown Live is the land of opportunity, and I’m a living proof of that. But you know what? I was given the opportunity during the number one contender’s match, and I took advantage of the opportunity.
“I could have the opportunity that was given to me, and I am very thankful for the opportunities. I was very excited when I was moved to SmackDown Live, because I knew it would be a fresh start. You know which it was, and it turned out to be (true). SmackDown Live is a great place, with a great roster, and many talented Superstars. I’m very excited to be a part of SmackDown Live.”
Your title win was monumental for the Indian fans, and for the country itself. When you realised your dreams of becoming a champion, did you imagine the response that your victory evoked back in India?
“Uh, no, I didn’t think it would be this huge. But, I know the Indians are very proud, and Indians have been waiting a long time for another WWE Champion. You know it’s been seven years since – I think seven years since The Great Khali was champion. So I think it was about time the WWE – you know, India is a very proud country and India does have many world class athletes. But sometimes, we’re not given the opportunity, so I was very fortunate, very lucky to be given the opportunity to not only shine, but also to let India shine.”
You will be facing Randy Orton at the Money In The Bank PPV. More than when you won the title, do you think more pressure will be on you at the PPV for your first title defense (regarding the match, the PPV doing well etc)?
“Yeah, of course. Winning it is one thing. But retaining is another. You know I plan on being a long term champion. I don’t think, ‘Get through one Pay – Per – View match’. I’m thinking, ‘I want to be champion for years to come.’ I want to be one of the greatest champions of all time. And it’s a good pressure – I need this pressure. Because if pressure is making me work, if it’s making me work harder – it was hard work to get to the championship, to win the championship. But now, truly the hard work starts now. It’s going to be harder. I’m going to be training, more preparation into my matches, because I plan on staying the champion for a long time.”
Triple H recently commented that when you first worked for WWE years ago, you were still young and weren’t really mature to thrive in the company, and you agreed about the same. How far do you think you’ve come along in the past couple of years?
“Yeah, that’s true. When I came to WWE – I got signed when I was 23. When I was on SmackDown roster, the main roster, I was 24. I wasn’t ready for those responsibilities. I wasn’t – I wasn’t seasoned enough as a wrestler, as an in – ring performer. But now that I’m 30 – you know, I still haven’t even hit my prime yet. I’m still getting better (with) every match. I’m still coming back every week in better shape.
“So to think what I’m going to be in a year from now, or three years from now or five years from now – I truly believe that I will be one of the all time greats. And yes, Triple H did mention the fact that – he mentioned that me and Drew, we both were just a couple of kids trying to make it before. But, you know, now we’re grown men. Now we’re mature outside of the ring, and in everything.
“I have my focus, I have my drive. Which I believe is very important. I believe that I haven’t hit my peak. I’m just starting.”
Since making his return to the WWE, Jinder Mahal has been heavily criticized for his new physique. The drastic change in the current WWE Champion’s look has sparked accusations that the former Three Man Band (3MB) member is abusing steroids. Last week, one natural body builder released a video detailing a few reasons why he believes Mahal is in fact on steroids.
Former WWE Superstar and current Impact Wrestling star Matt Morgan responded to these claims on yesterday’s (Sun. June 4, 2017) episode of the Wrestling Inc. podcast, and was quick to jump to Mahal’s defense:
“I read something about some ‘natural, all natural bodybuilder,’ that’s an oxymoron by the way. Um no, there is a real such thing… Talking about how he could tell all the telltale signs that how Jinder Mahal is taking enhancements,” Morgan said. “Ok. Put this out there one last time to anybody that thinks this is true.
“I want you to go back and I want you to come up with all the stars that failed this Wellness policy,” Morgan implored. “There are so many guys that failed this thing… That lost time, that they had to take the title belts off of, they had to do all types of things to recreate their TV because these guys were either on the gas or part of that pharmacy, Signature Pharmacy bust all the guys got screwed through… Where they were ordering steroids online, ” Matt recalled. “…But a bunch of things have happened over time that cost guys time but more importantly, WWE their storylines. We’re talking heavyweight champions here.
“So I’m just trying to make sure I’m understanding this correctly,” Morgan stated. “Out of them all… all of them, right? We’re going to let Jinder Mahal take steroids?! Are you high? Are you high? It makes no sense at all.”
Morgan continued on and stated that TV adds weight to the performers you watch on a weekly basis, and if fans saw Mahal in person they wouldn’t think he’s as big. Morgan believes Mahal is clean and stated that it makes no sense as to why the WWE would allow him to take steroids.
You can listen to the full segment in the video player above (around the 47:31 mark).
As we previously noted, former WWE Superstar and World Heavyweight Champion Jack Swagger was a guest on the Two Man Power Trip Of Wrestling podcast to talk about his time with the company and his recent release. During the interview, Swagger also commented on his longtime friend Jinder Mahal’s recent main event push and WWE Title win. Here are the highlights:
Jinder Mahal’s WWE Title Win:
“Jinder is an amazing performer. He is a very tall guy, great look and he is a business person. So I could definitely see him achieving this for sure and he has all tools. I was just as surprised as anyone though which is one of the good things about pro wrestling that you literally never know what is going to happen. I can definitely understand and I think I know why they did it. Jinder is amazing but India is also a very big market so it is like two birds with one stone.”
If he was surprised Mahal moved up the ladder so fast:
“No, I’m not. Maybe I’m jaded but I really don’t get surprised by much these days when it comes to WWE or professional wrestling because that is the beauty of it. Overnight you can become someone so the trick is to stay consistent, stay performing well and stay ready because it could happen at any second.”
His stance on the Randy Orton “dive” debate:
“Randy and I were always good friends. Some people don’t like Randy but I personally love him. I’ll take a guy that tells me how he feels 100% than someone who is going to sugarcoat it. What people don’t get about Randy (which I can understand) is that Randy is his father’s son. He understands this business more than a lot of people think he does. He looks at a lot more through his father’s eyes in the way he does things and thinks about things. He is definitely an old soul but he grew up in this business so he has that perspective and he doesn’t want 99 super-kicks in a match, which I get but at the same time you have to do what the market dictates. Social media is a fun thing where you can say how you really feel and it is going to cause a stir about somethings and point a light on things and we all have a voice and that is what it is for. He just has a special touch for getting on people’s skin and I’m sorry but it is hilarious.”
Natural bodybuilder Nick Miller recently posted a video on his YouTube channel and discussed why WWE should test Jinder Mahal for performing enhancing drugs. Miller pulled up WWE’s Wellness Policy on the company’s website and listed off several reasons why Mahal should be tested.
Miller looked at Mahal’s extreme vascularity and claimed that Mahal has “extreme almost unreasonable level” of low body fat and leanness from match to match. Miller said that Mahal used to have a “dad bod” and has undergone a wild body transformation. Miller also stated that Mahal has gynecomastia (swollen male breast tissue), which is a condition caused by a hormonal imbalance or elevated estrogen levels from possibly not recovering correctly from a steroid cycle. You can check out the Nick Miller’s entire video below.
The Miz and Maryse have made the cover of Dub Magazine. Tomorrow night at Extreme Rules, Dean Ambrose will defend his Intercontinental Championship against The Miz. If Dean Ambrose happens to get disqualified, The Miz will become the new Intercontinental Champion. The Miz posted the following about being on the cover of the magazine:
The #ItCouple graces the cover of @dubmagazine and we deem it #Awesome Huge thank you to @dubmagazine for turning a regular Jeep into The Most Must See Jeep in History. Also for putting the whole family in the mag. Yes, ladies and gentlemen Pumpkin and Mocha are in there as well. ENJOY!!! Want a Jeep like mine use badass parts from @tiswheels @nittotire @metalcloak@americanfastbacks @theoriginalsmittybilt @mbrpexhaust @road_armor@metraelectronics @husky_liners @dubirtint @lftdxlvld #MetraElectronics#heise #Tspec #ibeam #axxess #raptor #installerinstitute #ammotenna#installbay #ballistic #heiseled #weare12volt #installerschoice #caraudio#12volt #jeep #dub and your Jeep will be as #Awesome as mine. ?
It’s no secret that the WWE decided to push Jinder Mahal and make him the company’s champion due to the fact that they’re trying to pounce on the large professional wrestling fanbase that’s in India.
Now, according to a report from Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Impact Wrestling partners in India, Sony SIX, say that Jinder Mahal’s recent push in WWE is a result of Impact Wrestling’s recent tour in India that just came to an end this week. The WWE has even opened up a new office in India to try and bring in more revenue from the country, however, there are no current plans in place for any live shows to go to India.
The report also suggests that Mahal’s WWE Title reign is not expected to be a short one.
Jinder Mahal was recently interviewed by GQ Magazine. The fashion-based publication was not interested in Mahal’s in-ring work, but rather how he has gotten himself in such good shape over the last year.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP6tUDkBKCL/
Jinder Mahal GQ Interview Highlights:
On when he started getting in better shape:
“It started almost exactly a year ago. June 1st. I wasn’t signed back to WWE and I was eating a bunch of junk food and drinking too much beer. One day I just decided I was going to quit drinking, focus on my health, and start dieting again. One of the very first things I did was I contacted a meal prep company. It’s called Nutrition Solutions. So I quit drinking, got the Nutrition Solutions going, and just started training hard again. Two months later, I was signed back to WWE.”
On his unique eating schedule:
“I actually started being more consistent with my meals. Before when I was hungry, I would eat a big meal and then not eat for a couple of hours. Maybe have a snack. But what I do now, what’s made the biggest change in my physique, is I eat every two hours and I eat the same portion meal—about 350 to 400 calories, about 30 grams of carbs, and 30 to 40 grams of protein. I eat a meal with that same breakdown every two hours.
When you’re constantly feeding your body like that, it knows that it’s going to be fed again in two hours. So it doesn’t hold any fat. Your body starts to hold fat basically when you’re inconsistent. You might eat a big meal and then the body thinks, “I’m not going to get fed for six more hours,” but then maybe an hour later you eat again. So the main thing has to be consistency. If you eat every two hours, your body doesn’t really hold much fat and it actually speeds up your metabolism. I actually eat more throughout the day now because I’m having seven or eight meals, but I’m leaner because I’m eating those meals so consistently that it speeds up my metabolism.”
WWE Champion Jinder Mahal recently did an interview with ESPN to talk about his recent title win over Randy Orton at Backlash. He was also asked to comment regarding the criticism over his new physique. Here are the highlights:
How he transformed his physique:
“When I train hard, I look better. I see the way I look on TV or in the mirror, and it gives me confidence. It translates into the ring. I have more confidence in the ring and can be more aggressive. If you saw me from a few years ago, the confidence level is night and day, and that’s because of the way I look.”
His response to people like Ryback criticizing how he got his new physique:
“I’ve been tested plenty, and never failed one.”
The current push he has been receiving:
“I know Vince [McMahon] appreciates wrestlers taking initiative, putting in the hard work. He had confidence in me. He knew I would embrace the opportunity, and not let WWE down. I think I have been proving that in my matches ever since.”
Rusev’s WWE return was directly affected by Jinder Mahal’s WWE Title win at Backlash over Randy Orton last week. Per a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, original plans had “The Bulgarian Brute” challenging for the WWE strap at the Money In The Bank pay-per-view (PPV).
The WWE never confirmed that match, however, they began to set it up after Rusev took to Twitter to demand SmackDown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon a shot at the WWE Title or else he’d leave the company. Rusev then vowed to return to Tuesday nights to confront McMahon, however, he never showed – stating he went to a hockey game instead. Rusev has not been mentioned on WWE programming since.
Per the report, the late decision to hold Rusev off TV indicates that Mahal’s title win was also a late decision by the company that was most likely made the Friday before Backlash. Now creative is tasked with the job of finding a new way to introduce Rusev back to WWE TV.
