Jinder Mahal on His Canadian Heritage and More

Pick your own Canadian stereotype. Jinder Mahal won the Smackdown World Title back in May and has been pushed as a huge star for the Indian market. However, what people often forget is the fact that he’s actually from Canada. This means he’s getting some attention in his native country, including a new interview.

Mahal was recently interviewed by the “Ottawa Citizen” on his title win, his Canadian and Indian heritages and what it means for him to bring the title to his home in Canada. He also talks about his release from the promotion back in 2014 and how important it is for him to return. Here are some highlights:

On Having Two Heritages

“Every day is a blessing in WWE, and I keep reminding myself of that. That’s my character. I’m very proud of my Indian heritage; I’m very proud of my Canadian heritage, as well, and I think, when the time is right, we’ll show that side, too. But, right now, I’m having fun representing the 1.3 billion people of India.”

On His Initial Run with the Company

“I had a lot of regrets. I felt like I didn’t give it my all. I said, if I ever get a second chance I’ll do everything in my power. I’ll give it 110 per cent. “I’ve taken full advantage of that opportunity. I was working hard to become WWE champion, but now that I am WWE champion, I’m putting in even more work.”

Jinder Mahal reacts to Cena vs. Nakamura: SmackDown LIVE Fallout, Aug. 1, 2017

And on Bringing the Title Back to His Home in Calgary

“Calgary prides itself on being a wrestling town. I was very proud to bring the championship back to Calgary. It’s a huge deal for not only my family, but Calgary as a city.”

You can ready the full interview here:

Opinion: If there’s a way for WWE to get extra publicity out of Mahal, so be it. Mahal winning the title might not be a huge deal in America but there’s a chance that it is in another major country so WWE should get what they can out of it. WWE has had a long history of foreign champions and Mahal can hit two countries at once, which isn’t something you can say every day.

Do you like Mahal as champion? Who do you think takes it from him? Let us know in the comments below.