Raj Dhesi’s unexpected WWE Championship victory in 2017 did not emanate from a long-term strategy, as revealed by the ex-wrestler also known as Jinder Mahal.
At WWE Backlash 2017, Dhesi surprised enthusiasts by usurping Randy Orton, who had clinched the championship a mere month earlier at WrestleMania 33.
On a recent episode of the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, Dhesi dispelled that his championship triumph was an impromptu decision made within a few days. Dhesi stated,
“At that point in time, ahead of me in line was Luke Harper for the #1 contender. Then I was approached by Randy… He informed me ‘You’re the victor, we’ll be teaming up… The plan transformed in the final week or last few days,'” Dhesi reflected, before adding, “Vince made the call to bestow the championship on me.”
With the title in his possession until November 2017, Dhesi ultimately lost it to AJ Styles in a SmackDown episode in the UK.
Dhesi parted ways with WWE in April 2024 but has since claimed the Black Label Pro Championship. He is currently set to compete for AAA.