WWE Raw: Jinder Mahal’s new babyface journey should be great
Jinder Mahal recently made his return to WWE Raw after a serious injury, and he’s ready to start a hero’s journey back to the top.
In 2017, Jinder Mahal shocked the world by winning the WWE Championship off Randy Orton, holding SmackDown’s main title for months until he finally lost it in Manchester in November before Survivor Series to AJ Styles.
Since losing the title, Mahal fell back down from the main event scene to the lower card. But now that he’s back on WWE Raw after returning from an injury, Mahal is ready to return to the heights he achieved in 2017 with a sudden push.
Mahal could have a program with current WWE Champion Drew McIntyre on the Red Brand, and the two men have plenty of history together, having been stablemates with Heath Slater in the Three Man Band. And wrestling fans would love to see McIntyre help bring out the best in Mahal in 2020.
In a promo on the May 11 episode of Monday Night Raw, Jinder spoke from the heart about what he hopes to achieve on the show going forward.
He recalled the mistakes he made in the past as WWE Champion when the fans despised him. Mahal has seen what McIntyre is currently achieving as the Red Brand’s top male star, and he wants to have that same level of respect from the fans.
So he’s going to do things the right way going forward. He’s going to aim to fulfill a hero’s journey to the summit of Raw, and it will be exciting to see if that journey includes him crossing paths with McIntyre himself.
Mahal’s babyface run should be excellent. He is legitimately a talented wrestler and an excellent promo, inspiring confidence when he speaks. Mahal has been willing to make fun of himself in the past, but he has serious potential as a babyface who is more than a comedy character.
Although Mahal’s heel work as WWE Champion – when Vince McMahon wasn’t writing uncomfortable material for him – was solid, Mahal has so much more potential as a babyface. Fans respect him now and have seen his journey beyond kayfabe, understanding the hard work he’s put in to transform his body in an effort to make it as a true star and world champion in the highly competitive WWE.
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In that sense, Mahal parallels McIntyre. Both men put in so much work and are determined to shine. Mahal is determined to continue that work ethic going forward, and I don’t doubt for one second that he’ll make admirers of even more fans in 2020.