What’s the story?
There is now a photo that shows Randy Orton’s shoulder to be off the mat when Jinder Mahal pinned him at Backlash.
Several fans are now questioning the legitimacy of Mahal’s WWE Championship reign, pointing out the fact that Orton’s shoulder was not pinned to the mat when the referee counted the 1-2-3.
In case you didn’t know...
Jinder Mahal defeated Randy Orton for the WWE Championship at Backlash, in an upset victory that’s sent shockwaves throughout the professional wrestling community.
The heart of the matter
In the world of professional wrestling, competitors have to ensure that both of their opponent’s shoulders are flat on the mat for the 1-2-3 to earn the pinfall victory.
The aforementioned rule is oft bent, so to speak, with the in-ring referee’s call being the final decision unless, of course, the WWE executives decide otherwise.
As of the time of this writing, the WWE is yet to issue an official response to the aforementioned photo, with Mahal still being promoted as the WWE Champion.
Also read: 5 things I learned from meeting Jinder Mahal
What’s next?
As per SmackDown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon, Jinder Mahal will defend his WWE Championship against Randy Orton at the upcoming SmackDown brand-exclusive Money In The Bank PPV on June 18th.
Author’s take
Orton’s shoulder seems to be off the mat; however, this is professional wrestling, folks! The wild sport of pro-wrestling works on the mantra of Anything Goes! If the referee didn’t see it, it didn’t happen.
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