‘To be a WWE superstar, you’ve to constantly evolve’
Yuvraj ‘Raj’ Singh Dhesi, an Indo-Canadian professional wrestler, popularly known as Jinder Mahal, is the reigning WWE champion. He speaks to Preeti Singh about succeeding against all odds.
A.
I am still discovering myself and still discovering my wrestling potential as I am still 30 years old. So, I am working on my strategies and I must keep it a secret as it mainly depends on with whom I am fighting. I try to find my opponents’ weakness in the ring and then defeat them.
Q. Whom do you see as your biggest competitor in the WWE? A.
Right now, I am focusing on my match with Randy Orton as I want to retain my title. But I think John Cena is my biggest competitor because for a long time, John Cena has been the face of the WWE and he won’t give up this title anytime soon. So, it would be challenging.
Q. For more than a decade, Khali was known as India’s representative in the WWE. How do you feel about representing India after him? A.
I feel proud to represent India and first of all, Khali is like my big brother and a good friend. He represented India so well and I want to do the same thing. I want to show that India has world-class athletes who are the best. I surely feel the pressure and I feel this pressure only drives, it will enable me to retain my title.
Q. Could you also talk about your techniques and fighting styles which you use to defeat your opponents? A.
I watch rivals similar to some opponent’s size and also study tapes of his previous matches as well as those of his opponents. To be a WWE Superstar, you’ve to constantly be evolving and improving. I study a lot of tapes, I watch a lot of old wrestling matches and see moves that work and moves that don’t work. I watch guys that are similar to my size, frame and body shape and the moves they do.
Q. Tell us about your association with your trainer, Bad News Brown. A.
The greatest influence on my life, I would say would be my original trainer, Bad News Brown. He taught me so much, not only in wrestling but taught me so much in real life—what it is to be a man, taking care of your family, and that life outside the ring is also very important. He taught me that.
Q. What would be your advice to budding wrestlers? A.
My advice would be, stay motivated and work hard and don’t give up. Because miracles could happen and that big break could be right there in the corner. Stay focused and driven. Take care of your body and stay away from drugs and stuff like that. Respect your body and your coach. And keep working hard and nothing is impossible as long as you are ready to work hard for that.