WWE Champion Jinder Mahal was a recent guest on the WrestlingNewsSource.com WNS Podcast; you can read a few highlights and listen to the interview below:
Jinder Mahal comments on facing Brock Lesnar:
He’s a household name, he’s the beast incarnate. But, I feel I still don’t have the same respect I should be getting from the WWE Universe. From our fans. So, in fact, I have to tame the beast. I am the beast tamer Jinder Mahal. That’s what I am going to be known as once I conquer the beast. But yeah this is the biggest match in my career thus far. Brock Lesnar is definitely my toughest opponent thus far but there is a reason I am the modern-day Maharajah and the reigning defending undisputed WWE champion. I heard the comments Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman made about me and they’re not taking me too seriously which in fact I’m kind of glad because that’s my game plan that’s what I do, people underestimate me and then I surprise them.
Jinder on how he’s preparing for the match:
A lot of it is physical because Brock is such a physical opponent. His hard-hitting style, his suplexes. He’s going to try and take me to suplex city. So definitely my conditioning. I’m going to be going into this match in the best possible shape of my life. Training very hard, dieting very hard. I’ve actually put on 20 pounds of muscle. I know it’s going to be a tough match and I’m going to be as heavy as possible so he can’t suplex me and toss me around. But like I said earlier, he’s underestimating me and I’m going to shock him and surprise him with my strength, my speed, my power and I’m going to have the Singh brothers with me, my advocates. So it’s going to be great. But we also have War Games kicking off on Saturday, November 18, Raw after Survivor Series is going to be awesome, then I will also be at SmackDown live the Tuesday after Survivor Series in the Toyota Center. Obviously, I will still be there as WWE champion and it’s going to be a great event I’m looking forward to returning to Houston.
Jinder on AJ Styles being a distraction on his road to Survivor Series:
No not at all. I’m very focused on Brock but as champion, everybody’s coming after you. Guys like Baron Corbin, AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, Randy Orton. SmackDown has such a stacked roster, such a talented roster, upcoming guys like Bobby Roode. But, I’ve got to stay focused and my main goal is WWE champion for as long as possible and going down in history as one of the greatest champions of all time. In order to do that, I must defeat the Universal Champion. The man, the beast incarnate, Brock Lesnar.
Jinder reveals the biggest change in his career since his release in 2014:
It was just my motivation had changed. I had become complacent in WWE when I got released in 2014, I had become unmotivated. I wasn’t driven, I was out of shape and just not focussed. Getting released in 2014 was the best thing that happened to me because I got to regain my focus, regain my pride and come back as the best-conditioned athlete there is in WWE which ultimately led me to become The single greatest WWE champion.
Jinder comments on his relationship with Vince McMahon:
Before I got released I used to avoid Vince McMahon. I was just intimidated by him, he’s the CEO of $1 billion corporation. But now, my relationship with him is great. Actually, when I first came back motivated I told Vince “Someday, I’m going to run this place and be the man”. And all that is happening in WWE, a place that rewards hard work and I’m very fortunate that Vince sees the hard work that I am putting in constantly 24/7. I’m on 24/7 improving on every aspect of my game and now we have a great relationship. I go into his office and talk to him all the time.
Jinder comments on being a part of the roster versus being the champion:
Being a champion everything changes. For instance, every night at live events I ask the marketing rep what the gross was that we did on the gate. how did we do last time I was here. I talk to the merchandise people. Not only that, the rest of the locker room looks up to me so I got to set a positive example for the rest of the locker room. Work ethic, every night I bust my rear end and leave it all in the ring and I just want to set that example because everyone looks up to me because I’m WWE champion. Everybody is striving to be in that position but ultimately I know everybody is coming for me in that position. Guys like AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura who will all be there at Survivor Series and at the Smackdown after Survivor Series and it’s just a talented, talented roster we have on Smackdown and Raw is no different. Guys like Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins who will be there at Survivor Series and also at Raw. Really, WWE is at an all-time high for in terms of talent
Jinder comments on who he’d like to face at Wrestlemania 34:
So last year I was in the pre-show in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal and it was my goal to be on the actual show. But now my goal is to main event Wrestlemania and my dream appointment, I actually already issued the challenge on social media, is John Cena. That would be a blockbuster match and in order to cement my legacy is one of the greatest champions about time I need that Wrestlemania moment and there would be no bigger moment than to defeat the superstar, the franchise, John Cena.
