Jinder Mahal moves to RAW during Superstar Shakeup, loses US Title (Photo)

“The Modern Day Maharaja” brings the United States Championship over to the flagship brand. Jinder Mahal immediately ceded it to Jeff Hardy.

Around this time last year, Jinder Mahal left Monday Night RAW as one of the lowest wrestlers on the WWE totem pole. One year later, he returns to the red brand as the first competitor to move from SmackDown Live as part of the second annual “Superstar Shake-Up”. Mahal didn’t come alone, as he also brought his manager Sunil Singh (Samir is still out with a knee injury) and the United States Championship to Monday nights as well.

However, he wasn’t champion for long. After Mahal and Singh interrupted RAW General Manager Kurt Angle and complained about the lack of amenities they were afforded, Angle essentially told “The Modern Day Maharaja” that he would receive the same treatment as the rest of the roster (well, except Brock Lesnar, but that’s another story). Mahal then said he was superior to all the other RAW superstars, which prompted Angle to put Mahal’s U.S. Title on the line against anyone on the roster. Enter Jeff Hardy.

The two had a fairly decent match that went at the usual methodical pace that Mahal matches usually go. After several minutes of back and forth action, Hardy connected with the Twist of Fate and a Swanton Bomb to score the clean pin and his first U.S. Title. The win makes Hardy the 24th overall WWE Grand Slam champion and the 12th under the modern format (World, Tag, Intercontinental, and the U.S. belts).

Mahal, of course, has spent most of his WWE career as an enhancement wrestler, with his most prominent role being a member of 3MB with Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre.

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When he moved to SmackDown, he received a controversial push that ultimately brought him the WWE Championship and the U.S. Championship. With this loss, and a foreshadowed feud with No Way Jose, it looks like Mahal may move down the card a bit on RAW.