The Rock’s return to WWE on the Day 1 edition of RAW stirred significant excitement, especially with the unexpected appearance of Jinder Mahal. The Modern Day Maharaja shed light on the collaboration and how the storyline unfolded during a recent interview.
Ahead of the highly-anticipated Day 1 RAW, WWE teased the return of a former WWE Champion, leaving fans in suspense.
The revelation of Jinder Mahal as that champion surprised many, as he delivered a compelling heel promo, drawing substantial heat and paving the way for The Rock’s entrance, which unsurprisingly garnered a massive reaction.
The Great One concluded the segment by dealing with Mahal and commencing his latest on-screen tenure with the WWE.
In an interview with Gorilla Position, Mahal revealed that he didn’t pitch the idea to work with The Rock. Instead, a member of the creative team informed him about the segment upon his return from Christmas vacation.
Mahal recalled the moment, stating,
“No, actually, I didn’t pitch. I went home for Christmas, and when I landed back in Tampa, I got a call from one of the writers saying, ‘Hey, I think you’ve already seen on social media; we’ve announced a former WWE Champion is going to return.’ Then I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s me,’ but I knew the kicker was coming. But there is going to be a bait and switch, and you’re actually with The Rock and don’t tell anybody.”
Despite the immense pressure that comes with sharing the screen with one of the greatest wrestling icons, Mahal expressed his excitement about the creative direction and praised The Rock for being humble and easy to work with.
He described the experience as the most relaxed he’s been during a promo, emphasizing The Rock’s professionalism.
Jinder Mahal has kicked off 2024 on a high note, transitioning from a segment with The Rock to challenging Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship.
As he aims to maintain this momentum, the former WWE Champion looks forward to making a significant impact at WrestleMania XL.
