A Decade After Great Khali's Title Run, An Indian Is The WWE Champ. Meet The Maharaja Jinder Mahal!

If you're a true blue Indian pro-wrestling fan like me, this may be the closest we came to a dream - that a true blue Indian wrestler will wear the WWE title around his waist. Don't get me wrong I love The Great Khali but sadly he will forever be known more for the Khali Kiss Cam, the awkward movement and grumblings he inadvertently passed on for speech that his one solitary title reign in 2008.

WWE

It's one again a Punjabi who won the gold but this time's he's leaner, meaner and uses a finisher he calls the 'Khallas'!

We are talking about the new and improved Jinder Mahal, who is making waves on Smackdown Live! aided by his trusted Singh Brothers (you may remember them as the Bollywood Boys from 205 Live and NXT).?

A few hours ago, Jinder faced and beat The Viper Randy Orton for his first WWE title at WWE Backlash. While some may argue that he is not 'completely' Indian being born and brought up in Canada, we had a chance to talk to him over a phonecall in the run-up to his win and he seriosuly epitomises the phrase 'phir bhi dil hai hindustani'. And if that was not enough, his gimmick in WWE is completely Indian, so think what you may, we are going to celebrate this for the millions of WWE fans in India!

Check out the best parts from our interaction with him here:

On working with Randy Orton,

The experience is great. I am on the European tour and I get to wrestle him every night. This will help me pick up some tips on how to beat him at Backlash for the WWE title. Working with him is great; him being a legend in the business. He is called the ‘Legend Killer’ but I think it’s time for a change. He knows that I am younger than him, I am faster than him, I am in better shape and I am stronger than him. I think it’s time for a new WWE champion!

On representing India in WWE.

I am very proud of representing India in the WWE. Indian fans are very passionate about wrestling and it makes me extremely proud to represent them on this huge scale and I hope to win the WWE title and make all of India more proud of me. I just want to thank Indian fans for always supporting me.

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On his move from Raw to Smackdown live

It’s been great. It’s called the land of opportunity and I think that I have proved that it really is. Well the move has been great and I originally debuted on Smackdown back in 2011 (when the brand split was very much there) and I feel at home here and its good to back.

On Bollywood boys or as we know them now - The Singh Brothers

The Singh brothers are good, I have actually known them for a long time.? They were wrestling in .Canada. It’s good to see them wrestle in WWE too. They were on 205 Live and NXT? before for a little bit and now they are watching my back on SmackDown Live and helping me out a bit.

About his Canadian heritage being ignored

No, I am not bothered. WWE is an entertainment industry. But I am equally Punjabi as I am Canadian. I know all the customs and I learnt Punjabi before picking up English. So it’s not a big problem. Indians all over the world are born in different countries but you know all we all come from the same motherland. So every Indian, regardless of where they are born, should be proud of their motherland.

WWE

The favourite moment in his WWE career

The first ever NXT tournament where I lost in the final to Seth (Rollins). He became the first NXT Champion but that was huge for me.

What's new in Jinder 2.0

It feels great to be back now. The position I was at, I was just floating at the bottom of the card, so it’s good that I got to go away and kind of find myself as a performer. And Improve on myself, improve my body, my promo skills and in ring work.? I have been back for less than a year and I am already a number one contender. In a lot of ways going away was the best thing to happen to me.? Even outside the ring, I started doing other things.

It feels great to back, the locker room looks much different. A lot of guys from NXT are now on the main roster which is great. Everybody is happier and it’s a positive environment. It just seems like a youth movement- young wrestlers in the spotlight. I feel it’s a great time to be the WWE champion.

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On his?Dream opponent

Yes, I will love to faceoff against John Cena and hopefully, I will be the WWE champ by that time.

On his family's attitude towards his work

My mom has been very supportive luckily.? Indian families at times, don’t support sports or arts but now it’s changing. They were very supportive and helped me through the years.

When was the first time you decided to be a wrestler?

As long as I could remember I wanted to be a WWE wrestler. I remember being four or five and even then I wanted to be a WWE superstar. That’s what I always wanted to do.

Experience of?wrestling in India

It was great. I did a few shows with Great Khali. One of the shows even had 2,000 people in the audience and I enjoyed seeing the passion and the crowds.

Advice for Indian wrestlers

My advice is to stay away from drugs. Respect your body, respect yourself and respect your parents. Work hard. Tou can become anything if you’re willing to work for it.

Toughest opponent

I think Daniel Bryan. He is very resilient, very tough. Keeps on coming back no matter how many times you push him down.

Will he make it?

What was feeling after winning the number one contendership

The feeling was great. To put everything in perspective, I am one win away from being the champion;?achieving my dream and changing my life. The goal is not to be the contender but the champ.

About the pressure of representing?

I do feel the pressure but I like the pressure, I feed off it. I used the pressure to train harder and will use it in the match. I want that pressure cause I want to repressure the country and carry the title.

About his uncle Gama the Great

I don’t really have memories of watching him wrestling, But when I started training he was there to advise and help. He was in instrumental in upbringing as a wrestler.