On the latest episode of SmackDown Live, Jinder Mahal shocked the world by winning a Six-Pack Challenge match to become the new No. 1 contender to the WWE Championship. Considering he was fresh off a loss to Mojo Rawley the week prior, it's safe to say no one thought he would be in this prominent of a position so soon, if ever.
Alas, Mahal will indeed challenge Randy Orton for his coveted title in the main event of May's Backlash pay-per-view, and the, well, backlash from fans online has been universal. I, too, wasn't initially thrilled with the decision to give him a shot at the strap, but after giving it more thought, it might actually turn out to be a decent idea.
As silly as that sounds, fans should maintain an open mind about Mahal receiving such a strong push at this point in his career. He could very well work as a WWE Championship challenger, and here are five reasons why.
#5 There's enough time to make him a serious threat
Let's make something quite clear: Jinder Mahal will not be challenging Randy Orton for the WWE Championship next week, or even the week after that. The match won't be taking place until Backlash, which is well over a month away.
That said, there is plenty of time between now and then to build him as a credible contender. Currently, fans do not see him as a threat to the title after suffering so many losses to the likes of Finn Balor, Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn and even Mojo Rawley, but a few key wins in the coming weeks would do him a world of good.
For example, WWE must at least attempt to give fans the impression that Orton views him as an equal. Brushing off Mahal and focusing entirely on Bray Wyatt instead will make Mahal look like an afterthought. Technically, he is, but that needs to change as soon as possible.
#4 He garners legitimate heat
Quite honestly, a majority of the current WWE roster would kill for the kind of heat Jinder Mahal elicits from the audience whenever he makes an entrance. Most Superstars come out to crickets, but Mahal truly gets under the skin of fans and forces them to boo him vigorously as a result.
Similar to Roman Reigns, fans do no want to see Mahal prominently pushed, and therefore, wish to reject him. Fortunately for Mahal, he is already a heel and can use those boos to his advantage, not to mention he'll be facing a beloved babyface at Backlash in Randy Orton.
Moreover, lest we forget Backlash will emanate from Chicago, a city known for its rowdy crowds. We can argue all day long whether he's generating the right type of heat or not, but what matters is that people are reacting, and obviously there are no redeeming qualities about the character.
#3 It's a filler feud for Randy Orton
Of course, Randy Orton beating Bray Wyatt for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 33 wasn't ideal, but among the benefits was that it would mean a future championship clash between Orton and AJ Styles.
Those two did battle for the first time ever on SmackDown Live in February and produced a barnburner of a bout, leaving fans anxiously awaiting the rematch.
However, you aren't going to do a such a marquee match on a B-level pay-per-view like Backlash, nor should Baron Corbin be rushed into the main event picture. He is more of a long-term project, whereas Mahal likely won't amount to much beyond Backlash.
That isn't to say WWE should give up on pushing Mahal once he presumably falls short of winning the title at the event, but it makes sense for a one-off match at a smaller show. From there, Orton can enter programs with other top-tier talent and Mahal may just go back to being an enhancement talent.
#2 His alliance with The Bollywood Boyz has potential
Something that has been largely overlooked since Jinder Mahal scored the shocking upset on Tuesday's SmackDown Live has been The Bollywood Boyz aiding him to victory. It was by no means a clean win for the former 3MB member, and there might be more to that ending apparently.
There is a good chance we could see some sort of faction involving Mahal and The Bollywood Boyz going forward, which would be an excellent use of everyone involved. A stable would absolutely add to Mahal's boring act and help him stand out from the rest of the roster.
Meanwhile, The Bollywood Boyz were booted off 205 Live following their poor showing on the pilot episode and haven't been seen since. At this point, they're better off in a meaningful storyline with Mahal.
#1 Fresh face in the main event scene
If you're outraged over Jinder Mahal entering the main event scene on SmackDown Live, all I can say is that you should be careful what you wish for. Many, many fans have been complaining for years that WWE relies on the same few people to carry their main shows, and look no further than Randy Orton being the current WWE champion.
But prior to this point, Mahal had never, ever, ever come close to even sniffing the WWE Championship, let alone done anything of note toward the top of the card. Granted, WWE could have gone with just about anyone else and fans might have been more pleased, but if nothing else, Mahal emerging as a top heel on the blue brand adds depth to the overall roster and shows that they're determined to try new things with talent.
This could prove to be a disastrous experiment with Mahal returning to the undercard in no time, but if it works out, this could be a turning point in Mahal’s career. And if he ascends to new heights thanks to this resurgence, the rest of the roster could receive a second look as well. Out with the old and in with the (relatively) new.
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