Jinder Mahal had a rough 2020 undergoing two knee surgeries that put him out of action for nearly a year. And as WWE marched through the pandemic without skipping a beat, the former WWE Champion was rehabilitating, and is now is set to make a grand return at the WWE Superstar Spectacle, a two-hour television special event on January 26 for India featuring Indian superstars alongside Superstars and Legends from Raw, SmackDown and NXT.
WWE has time and again reiterated that India is a big market and from 2017 there's been a big push in this direction. The company hosted an event in India that year, with then WWE Champion Mahal facing off against Triple H in the main event. Since then, WWE has conducted try-outs - their largest ever outside of the USA in India - and have recruited quite a few young trainees and the Superstar Spectacle will give the platform for the Indian fans to see the recruits mix it up with known Indian talents like Mahal, Kavita Devi, Bollywood Boyz and the tag-team duo of Indus Sher. Mahal, speaking exclusively to News18.com, revealed the details of the event and what it means for WWE's expansion plans for India and about his grand return.
On WWE Superstar Spectacle...
Our Indian WWE universe is a passionate one and is our largest audience. From youtube consumption to TV ratings, millions of fans watch our shows, so what better way to reward the WWE universe than to give India its own special show. Not only that, there will be a bit of desi and Indian flavour to it and will be a mix of Raw talent, Smackdown talent, NXT talent and India's upcoming talents; guys like Dilsher Shanky, Gaint Zanjeer - both are 7 feet tall and proteges of The Great Khali. Both of them are very young and will be phenoms in WWE and I see a very bright future, and we have the high-flyer Guru Raaj and also the first-ever female WWE Superstar Kavita Devi who is such a positive role model for the Indian youth, and especially the females and you are going to see them mix it up with raw and smackdown talents. The show is going to have the likes of Rey Mysterio, Charlotte Flair, and WWE Champion Drew McIntyre will also be there among others.
On his return...
Unfortunately, I had two knee surgeries back-to-back [in 2020] but I have come back better and stronger and I can't think of a better show than WWE superstar Spectacle to do that. It's going to be '#The Return of the Modern Day Maharaja'. The show is just for our Indian WWE universe, and what an occasion to premiere it - January 26 republic day, 8 o clock in the evening. It is exciting. I was focussed on my rehab and this is my return. So. I am looking to make an impact and you are going to see and a new and better version of the Modern Day Maharaja.
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On the show's format and future...
Right now, it is just a one-off special show. But, I believe and it is my personal opinion, that it is going to get a such a strong reaction that WWE will have no other option but to give us more specials and eventually a weekly show. I would love nothing more than that.
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On the show potentially featuring a new title...
I have not heard anything yet. Currently, I am focused on my return and I will find out about it when I get there. But, it will be great if it is there and if not in this show, I am sure at some point there will be an Indian Championship and I will like to the first-ever, that would be awesome. Maybe, among the upcoming talents, one of the 7 footers can hold such a title. They remind me of a young Great Khali. Not only NXT India, what about Indus Sher, someday they will become the WWE tag team champions. Kavita Devi could be the women's champion on RAW or SmackDown. The future is bright and I know several WWE superstars will be coming from India in the future and there will be another WWE champion from India. Time will tell and I look forward to it... I actually watch as a fan and I want to see these young guys do well in their careers and excel - I have seen them from being trainees to becoming WWE superstars.
WWE Superstar Spectacle featuring the best of WWE's Indian Superstars alongside Superstars and Legends from Raw, SmackDown and NXT to premiere on Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 3 And Sony Max Channels on January 26, 2021