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The WWE exit of Jinder Mahal caught many off guard, including legendary wrestling journalist Bill Apter, who was also quite surprised by the recent development.
Mahal was among the names released from the WWE in April, and considering the world championship reign on his resume, it was surprising to see him on the chopping block during another round of releases. The departures also included Veer and Sanga, Mahal's stablemates.
During the latest episode of The Wrestling Time Machine, Bill Apter agreed with Teddy Long regarding how unexpected Jinder Mahal's WWE release seemed.
Apter noted that out of all the former WWE Champions, Jinder was someone WWE often didn't like mentioning when acknowledging the world title's lineage. Apart from budget cuts, Bill Apter and show host Mac Davis could not think of another reason for WWE to end Jinder Mahal's run in the company.
"Surprised. They haven't done anything with him. It's funny, when they talk about all the past WWE Champions, they rarely even mention him. He is one of the nicest guys. He looks good, he is a good worker, so I don't know, budget cuts!" [From 1:30 onwards]
Will Jinder Mahal adopt a new name after his WWE release?
Like most superstars who are released from the WWE, Jinder Mahal is looking to get back to the ring and showcase why his former company made a mistake in letting him go.
Mahal released a video nearly a week after his WWE exit, addressing the promotion's decision and his bright future, for which he has already begun preparing.
Mahal recently filed for a trademark on "Raj Dhesi," which could be his in-ring name following the end of his second stint in WWE.
Jinder also filed to secure the trademark on "The Maharaja" nickname as every road points towards a grand return for the former WWE World Champion. Whether he convinces WWE to re-sign him again or not, all eyes are on Mahal and the next phase in his career.
Please credit The Wrestling Time Machine and embed the video if the quote from this article is used.
