WWE Champion Jinder Mahal will be defending his WWE Championship against Kevin Owens at the WWE LIVE event in Delhi on December 8 and 9 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
(WWE photo)WWE champion Jinder Mahal is in India on an tour to parade the WWE Championship belt he proudly shows off. Delhi will be hosting the WWE LIVE event in India and a champion of Indian decent will be defending his title for the first time on Indian shores against Kevin Owens.
WWE champion Jinder Mahal is nothing like the man he portrays on Television. India Today sat down for casual chat with 'The Modern Day Maharaja' and here are a few excepts from the same.
Question: How do you feel about bringing the WWE championship belt to India?
It is a very exciting and historic moment. I am very proud to not only represent India, but representing India as the WWE Champion. This is the first time the WWE Championship been brought to Indian soil by an Indian champion, but more importantly coming up on December 8 and 9, it will be the first time ever this WWE Championship will be defended on Indian soil. History will be made that night as I face Kevin Owens on this huge...huge night.
Thrilled to invite @sachin_rt the master blaster to watch me at #WWELive in India. https://t.co/rhvZKvpUjnpic.twitter.com/nRhG1ONPWO
- The Maharaja (@JinderMahal) October 14, 2017
Question: Are you excited about the live event in India? Can you tell us more about the event?
I can't express how excited I am to come to India. Last time WWE came to India, I wasn't with WWE but all the other superstars have told me that the crowd interaction was amazing. This is one of the best crowds that they have ever performed in, so I want to experience that love for myself. I want to see the crowd reaction, the home crowd here in Delhi, all our India fans of the WWE Universe. Braun Strowman will be there, Roman Reigns will be there, along with all your RAW and superstars and more importantly, the Maharaja will be there.
Question: What do you have to say about your opponent for the WWE LIVE event in Delhi, Kevin Owens?
I will teach him a lesson . He talks a lot of trash. I know he will be talking a lot of trash, but I will prove to him exactly why I am the greatest WWE Champion of all time, The Modern Day Maharaja. I will have all of India watching my back. I am looking forward to defeating Kevin Owens and face my next opponent,, whom I am going to face at Wrestlemanina 34.
Wrestlemanina 33 was the most watched Wrestlemanina of all time and it was broadcasted in Hindi for the very first time and Wrestlemanina 34 will be bigger and it is my goal to walk into it as the WWE Champion and walk out the same way.
Question: There have been rumours about an injury to your shoulder. Should the Indian fans be worried?
My shoulder is 100 per cent OK. So the tape that I use is for my shoulder is because it curves a bit naturally forward as my pecks are a little bit tight. If you see my traps are little bit strong , they are dominant. So I use the tapes to pull my back, my chest is a little forward .
It is nothing, just a precautionary measure. Cesaro uses the tape before every match. There is no injury nothing like that. I am 100 per cent healthy and I am in the best condition of my entire career. I have been training real hard, these two events in India are the biggest events in my life.
Question: What message would you like to give to fans in India.
The WWE Universe In India is the largest audience we have in terms of Youtube subscribers, Facebook followers, Television viewers. I encourage the fans, if have not seen a WWE LIVE event ever, come I promise you it will be the most entertaining event that you can go to possibly, more exciting and entertaining than any other sport that they have seen.
It has the athletics of an IPL match and the drama and the moments of a Bollywood movie. So come check us out, it is a family show, kids of all ages will be there, parents, their grandparents.
The #ModernDayMaharaja@jindermahal has arrived at #NewDelhi! Send him your welcome tweets using #IndiaWelcomesJinder! pic.twitter.com/ErS6lQwXy5
- WWE (@WWEIndia) October 14, 2017
Question: Kavita Devi recently took part in the Mae Young Classic. Could you give us your thoughts on her performance?
I was very impressed by her performance. She is very strong given that she comes from a powerlifting background. I am excited to see what the future brings and I especially love the way she represented the Indian culture with that Indian Salwar Kameez.
I know she has been training hard ever since her appearance and she is very motivated than ever. More importantly she has motivated so many young girls in India to follow ones dreams and chase ones goals. She is a role model and I am looking forward to what the future brings for her.
Question: You were helped by The Great Khali at battleground, what kind of relationship do you have with him?
The Great Khali is like a brother to me. I speak to him almost every day. He is very proud of the fact that I am WWE champion. He is a former Heavyweight champion. There is a reason I picked the Punjabi Prison match, no disqualifications and no count outs. So I had huge surprise backstage, which is not easy by the way. It was a great moment 'The Great Khali' surprised the WWE Universe and that's the cool thing about WWE.
Question: Have you ever tried traditional Indian wrestling?
Yeah, but not in a 'Mitti ka Akhada' but when I was doing amateur wrestling. My good friend, Arjan Singh Bhullar, who is the first ever UFC fighter from India. He has his Akhada in his house in Canada, I went there.
Question: Do you like Indian food? Which is your favourite?
I love Indian food and my favourite would be 'Daal Makhni' and rice. I like 'naan' with Tandoori Chicken, that what I had last night.