'%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?
In a recent interview with The New Indian Express, former WWE World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali spoke about WWE’s impact in India and wanting to inculcate different training practices in India.
In case you didn’t know…
WWE first signed The Great Khali back in 2006 as part of the company’s developmental federation Deep South Wrestling. Upon his main roster debut in 2006, Khali was part of some of the most memorable feuds in WWE, most notably against The Undertaker, who suffered a huge upset to Khali during the very same year. The following year, Khali won his first championship in WWE,the World Heavyweight Title on an episode of Smackdown.
Another one of Khali’s unforgettable rivalries was against John Cena. The two stars feuded against each other for the WWE Championship during the course of 2007.
The heart of the matter
While speaking with The New Indian Express, Khali spoke about a host of wrestling related topics and here are the highlights from the interview:
WWE in India and his time with the company:
According to Khali, during his time with the WWE he had been trying really hard to leave the company, but the WWE management instead kept offering the 7ft tall giant a contract. However, in 2014, Khali had made up his mind that he would eventually leave WWE once his contract ended and would not work with the company again. Additionally, Dalip Singh stated that he has earned a lot of success ever since he came back to India and opened CWE in Punjab.
"The WWE has failed in India. They thought they would use the Great Khali fully and then leave him. I [had] been trying hard for [a long time] to leave WWE, but they kept on offering me [a] contract.- The Great Khali stated.
Wanting to change the mentality of how training is done in India:
Khali believes that the future of wrestling in India is very bright, but it can surely be a lot better, if it is handled in the right way and if a coach or a better foundation is provided. The former World Champion also said that the mentality of an Indian athlete is very weak as many of them still depend on drugs.
“They feel that the consumption of drugs will help in enhancing their performance and will help them in clinching a medal. They receive too much of love after winning a medal that they forget to concentrate on sports."- Khali added.
What’s next?
Khali is currently focusing on his own wrestling school in Punjab, that is, the Continental Wrestling Entertainment, which held its first event on 12 December 2015. However, in 2017, Khali also made a one-off sporadic appearance in WWE when he returned as a heel to help Jinder Mahal retain his WWE Title against Randy Orton in a Punjabi Prison Match.
Author’s Take
The Great Khali has been working with the right mentality and his goal is to change the wrestling business in India. The CWE is also providing a great opportunity for the up and coming wrestlers in India who wish to make it to the WWE someday, much like The Great Khali did.
Send us news tips at [email protected]
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
