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Jinder Mahal has returned to WWE and is now looking to make his mark on the competition. The Modern-Day Maharaja has a lot that he wants to get off his chest, after spending more than a year away from the ring.
Thanks to two consecutive injuries, Mahal has not been able to stay active in WWE as much as he would have liked. Last week on RAW, Jinder Mahal returned to action and did so in style. He was flanked by two giants as Shanky and Veer seemed to have joined his faction.
During his match, Jinder Mahal defeated Jeff Hardy, putting away the Charismatic Enigma with a powerful Khallas to pick up the win. He has clearly stated his intentions of being one of the most powerful wrestlers in WWE right now. With that in mind, there's a lot that he still needs to do.
The following are five wrestlers that Jinder Mahal may share storylines with next as he establishes himself on the RAW roster.
#5 Jeff Hardy could face Jinder Mahal
Jeff Hardy was Jinder Mahal's first opponent upon his return. Mahal won cleanly as Veer and Shanky didn't even need to get involved and Hardy ended up not looking too good.
Hardy has been on somewhat of a losing streak as WWE does not seem to know what to do with the veteran wrestler. Without question, Hardy is more than capable of having top feuds in the company. For the moment, perhaps the best thing for Hardy would be to work with Jinder Mahal in a feud. He could help Mahal look good, while also appearing more on WWE television.
Even if he loses the feud, he could then pick up from there and find motivation for another feud to get back to winning ways.
Jinder Mahal facing Jeff Hardy for a period might be exactly what WWE needs.
#4 Sheamus could face Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal going after Sheamus and the United States title could be the perfect storyline for the returning superstar.
Sheamus is doing an incredible job at the moment with the United States Championship. It seemed that he had a good feud going with Humberto Carrillo, but after the latter's apparent injury, he may need another rival for a while.
Jinder Mahal going after the mid-card title is a story that writes itself. Sheamus could continue defeating some wrestlers before he is challenged by Mahal.
The Modern-Day Maharaja could then work against Sheamus to claim the United States title. Sheamus and Mahal's wrestling styles have some similarities and the two could put on a great match.
On top of this, Mahal's support from Veer and Shanky would force Sheamus to bring out everything that he could. The Celtic Warrior would be forced to fight against the numbers and this could see him go through some issues.
Mahal could also eventually win the title and be an excellent mid-card champion. In this storyline, Sheamus would be protected even if he loses, as he would be fighting against bigger numbers, while Mahal could establish some dominance.
#3 Ricochet could face Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal facing Ricochet could be the feud both wrestlers need.
Ricochet has disappeared from RAW for some time now. He seemingly has not had much to do, and other than one match against Drew McIntyre, he has not had the opportunity to show off what he can do.
There seems to be a lack of confidence among WWE management surrounding the superstar despite his obvious talent. Given more screen time, Ricochet might be able to convince them that he is capable of doing more.
For that, he would need a good feud.
Jinder Mahal may have returned at the perfect time for Ricochet. His grounded wrestling style perfectly meshes with Ricochet's high-flying technical offense. Both wrestlers could work off each other as Ricochet tries to fight his way back into the main storylines on the roster.
Mahal and Ricochet's storyline would help put the Modern-Day Maharaja back on the map as it would become clear that he means business. Meanwhile, for Ricochet, it would mean that he would get some TV time. From there, much like Hardy, he could work to build up his character once again.
#2 Drew McIntyre could face Jinder Mahal
Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal share a lot of their past. The two superstars are very familiar with each other from their time together in the 3-Man Band. Both wrestlers were released by WWE, and both returned to the company after drastically improving their physique and their characters to win WWE titles.
The two friends obviously have great chemistry and could work together. McIntyre talked about wanting to work with Mahal last year as well, so this is a story that practically writes itself.
Whether Drew McIntyre wins the WWE Championship or not, a feud against Jinder Mahal makes sense. McIntyre would also end up looking good as he would be facing Shanky and Veer, along with Mahal.
For now, McIntyre needs to be built back up after he lost the title, and a feud against Mahal could get him away from the title picture, while also simultaneously helping him work on his character.
Drew McIntyre facing Jinder Mahal would be a story that both wrestlers would be comfortable telling and they would end up getting a lot out of it.
#1 Jinder Mahal could challenge Bobby Lashley
Jinder Mahal is back and wants to make a statement. With Shanky and Veer by his side, Mahal already looks more formidable than he originally had when he teamed up with The Singh Brothers.
Bobby Lashley is currently a dominant champion on RAW, and it can be assumed that even after WrestleMania Backlash, he could retain his title. As a result, if he defeats Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman, he will need a new challenger. While Mahal has only just returned, the former WWE Champion could qualify and end up in a feud against Lashley.
Jinder Mahal and Bobby Lashley in a feud, at first glance, does not appear to be the most promising. But with two giants by his side, Jinder Mahal is already looking better than ever. He could be convincing in a feud with Lashley and even if he does not win, it would help to set the tone for his run on RAW.
Lashley, if he is able to fend off Mahal, would also come out looking better for it. As a result, this could be one of the more interesting feuds if WWE goes forward with it.
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