If there was ever a person to be described as a 'lower card' guy,’ it'd be Jinder Mahal. The 30-year old has had an up and down WWE career that's never really exceeded the mid-card level. At the moment he's just another undervalued wrestler that WWE refuses to accept is a star in the making. Currently, the company is in a transitional phase where it's struggling to bring find the next John Cena, instead of keeping their options open, they're stubbornly sticking to the same failed names.
Most of the time, all a wrestler needs is that one feud to act as a catalyst to their main event run. This is why if I was on the creative team I'd be looking at several names for the former 3-man band member to lock horns with.
Here are 5 opponents for Jinder Mahal to feud with in the near future.
#5 Kofi Kingston
I don't know what it is about the Prince of Peace but many don't seem to rate him as a wrestler. However, if you go through his discography, Mahal is a very accomplished in-ring performer. The Canadian wrestler is a seasoned veteran that has wrestled close to 100 matches in the WWE.
Mahal started his wrestling career back home in Canada, where he learned his craft for seven years before going to the FCW tryouts in 2010. He's talented and the WWE faithful need to be reminded of his skills by having him feud against agile wrestlers, people of an equal wrestling ability.
Kofi Kingston is the perfect opponent to bring Jinder Mahal out from the outskirts of the lower card into the upper parts of the show. Kingston is a veteran that has faced the elites of the business and brought out the best in all of them. As part of the New Day, he's still one of the most prominent acts on the show that regularly gets a reaction from the crowd. He would breathe back life into the Mahal character by placing many eyes on him.
#4 Titus O'Neil
It's safe to say that despite their low positions on the card, Titus O'Neil and Jinder Mahal easily have the best two physiques on Monday Night Raw. Don't look at their status, just look at their physiques and you'll see two chiselled world class athletes. And what happens when you put two physical specimens against each other? You create a spectacle for all demographics.
Titus O'Neil is a talent that has done everything the company has asked of him, whether it makes sense or not. He's simultaneously worked live events as a heel and then featured prominently in the company's be a star campaign.
Despite the conflict in perception, O'Neil has got on with the job and represented the company immaculately. He's a talent that deserves more of a spot on PPV cards and a feud with Jinder Mahal could just be the thing the 39-year old needs.
#3 Sin Cara
As the second coming of Rey Mysterio himself, Sin Cara's career has never really hit the heights that many thought it would. As the sole representative of Mexico on Monday nights, many seem to underestimate his business worth to the company. He's the key to sustaining the interest of a dwindling Latino market. Not only is he a valuable asset, he's an exciting wrestler that can have a good match with anyone. This is where Jinder steps in.
In most cases, the only way to put yourself back in the hearts of the masses is to have memorable matches on a consistent basis. Sin Cara is the perfect opponent to help restore Mahal to that relevance. It'd give both competitors a meaningful feud to engage in throughout the year.
#2 Cesaro
As of recent, the Swiss Superman has been the standard bearer of wrestling on Monday nights. Every time he wrestles he puts the whole locker room on notice. Not only does he perform feats of strength that you never thought possible, he executes them in the most physical way possible. He also possesses the ability to bring out the best in others, as he showed at Fast Lane.
Last Sunday on the B-show PPV, Cesaro and Mahal produced a solid bout that not only kept the watching audience entertained, it resonated with people watching at home. I'd go as far to say that the match was easily better than the main event title match.
Both of them have proven they can deliver in a high-profile situation, so why not give them the reins to express themselves on a weekly basis? As WWE fans we always complain that the company continue to push the same old faces so why can't we just fully get behind a feud between two of the most underutilised talents on the roster today.
#1 Finn Balor
The Prince of Ireland is due back from injury any second now in preparation for Wrestlemania. And for the Demon to be taken seriously again he must face off against a credible wrestler to get back to match fitness. Jinder Mahal is the most suitable opponent to help push Balor back into the main event scene.
As the most over babyface in the company, Balor would give Jinder an incredible rub with a legit breakout star. It's the kind of feud that would give Mahal the genuine heat to kick-start his heel persona. Balor is an incredibly popular wrestler that has millions of people watching his every move, millions of people who could then take an interest in the whereabouts of Jinder Mahal.
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