'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
Jinder Mahal made his way to Monday Night Raw as part of the Superstar Shakeup and was defeated by Jeff Hardy in his debut match for the brand. Hardy is now a Grand Slam Champion following his first singles Championship since his return to the company last year.
In case you didn't know...
Jinder Mahal won the United States Championship just eight days ago at WrestleMania in a fatal four-way match that also included Bobby Roode, Randy Orton, and Rusev. Mahal is also a former WWE Champion after defeating Orton last year, but it seems that his reign as United States Champion has been much shorter than his reign as WWE Champion throughout 2017.
Mahal has been rumored to be someone that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon is backing, which could be why he has made his way over to the flagship show of WWE.
The heart of the matter
Mahal was the first superstar to announce his arrival on the Monday Night Raw roster as part of this year's Superstar Shakeup, but when he interrupted Kurt Angle the General Manager decided to force Mahal to defend his Championship against Jeff Hardy.
Hardy returned to WWE at WrestleMania last year and won the Raw Tag Team Championships with his brother Matt, but this is his first singles Championship since his return and it finally makes the veteran a Grand Slam Champion.
What's next?
Mahal announced that he was invoking his rematch clause for the United States Championship at The Greatest Royal Rumble Ever next Friday, but it is unknown as to whether or not Randy Orton will still be part of the match since he earned the right to face Mahal last week on SmackDown Live.
Author's take
This was a fantastic way to kick off Monday Night Raw as part of the Superstar Shakeup and it seems that the night will only get better. There are a lot of things up in the air in WWE right now which is making the company less predictable. There are a lot of questions when it comes to the US Championship coming over to Raw and whether the Intercontinental Championship will now go over to SmackDown, but it seems that these questions will be answered tomorrow night when the blue brand takes center stage.
