Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Jinder Mahal: "Don't Hinder Jinder", WWE Championship Reign, AEW Tweet, 3MB

Episode Date: April 23, 2024

Jinder Mahal (@jindermahal) is a professional wrestler known for his time in WWE. He sits down with Chris Van Vliet to talk about starting the year doing a segment with The Rock on Raw Day 1, his World Heavyweight Championship match against Seth Rollins, the Twitter exchange he had with Tony Khan about his title shot, being released from WWE in 2014 and coming back better than ever, being part of 3MB with Drew McIntyre and Heath Slater, beating Randy Orton for the WWE Championship at Backlash in 2017, being the first Indian WWE Champion, growing up in Canada and training to be a pro wrestler, his Modern Day Maharaja character, winning the US Championship and much more. Quote I'm thinking about: "The fish don't just jump in the boat" Sponsors: PRIZEPICKS: Download the app today and use code INSIGHT for a first deposit match up to $100! RHONE: Upgrade your closet with Rhone and use CVV to save 20% at https://www.rhone.com/CVV BLUECHEW: Use the code INSIGHT to get your first month of BlueChew for FREE at http://bluechew.com ROCKET MONEY: Join Rocket Money today and experience financial freedom: https://rocketmoney.com/cvv BETTERHELP: Get 10% off your first month with the code INSIGHT at http://betterhelp.com/insight MUDWTR: Get 15% off with the code CVV15 at http://mudwtr.com/cvv PLUNGE: Get $150 off your Plunge with the coupon code CVV150 at http://plunge.com For more information about Chris and INSIGHT go to: https://podcast.chrisvanvliet.com If you enjoyed this episode, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference in helping to spread the word about the show and also to convince some hard-to-get guests.  Follow CVV on social media:  Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVliet Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisVanVliet Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet YouTube: youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet TikTok: tiktok.com/@Chris.VanVliet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris. Oh yeah, welcome back to another one here on Insight. I'm CVV, Chris Van Fleet. Hope you had a great weekend. Thank you for being here. Thank you, as always, for making Insight one of the top wrestling podcasts on the planet. According to the chart, we're number three. It's The Undertaker, Jim Cornett, and then Insight.

So if you're listening right now and you aren't following the show or you haven't left a rating or review yet, maybe today's a day. What do you say? I didn't even mean for that to rhyme, but it would mean so much to me if you could just do that one little thing. Just please hit follow or subscribe wherever you're listening. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever it happens to be. And if you are feeling extra generous on this Tuesday as this is coming out or whatever day you happen to be listening to this on, if you're feeling extra generous, a rating or review, which would be 34 seconds of your time. my goodness, I would be forever indebted to you if you could do that.

So I'm going to thank you in advance for it. We have such a good one today with former WWE superstar Jinder Mahal. And I should put it out there that this was recorded during WrestleMania week before the unfortunate news last week that he was released from WWE. I was shocked by that because he started off the year with such a bang. That segment with the rock that really put the wheels in emotion. for the Rock's run into WrestleMania. That was on day one.

That was January 1st. And then a few weeks later, Jinder had that World Heavyweight Championship match against Seth Rawlins, and then all that stuff online with Tony Kahn's tweet and Jinder's tweet about Hook. There was so much momentum there.

So I was shocked by this. Raj, that's his real name, is so talented. And I'm going to be so interested to see what he does next because the story of reinvention that he has, last time that he got released. He was released in 2014, and then he came back in 2016.

It was so inspiring how much he reinvented himself. He got rehired in 2016 and then became WWE champion less than 10 months later. Raj is so talented, so driven, so disciplined. I mean, just take one look at the guy. You can see the discipline just by looking at the way that he's built. I know we're going to see something amazing from him. So I can't wait to see what's in store. Snap a screenshot and let us know that you're listening to this. Let us know what stands out for you and tag us so we can share it out as well.

He's at Jinder Mahal. I'm at Chris Van Fleet and what a great conversation. I hope you enjoy this. Ladies and gentlemen, Jinder Mahal. We're finally making this happen. Yes. I've been looking forward to this for a long time. Likewise.

So thank you for making the time. I know this is a super busy week, WrestleMania week. And what a year for you. What a year for you so far, right? Like day one of this year, that's a heck of a return. Yeah, yeah.

Started off hot, kind of fizzled out, but it's all good. We're going to pick it up. But like, so let's start with January 1st of this year. Yeah. So they announced that it's going to be the return

of a former WWE champion. Yeah. Did you at any point even see whispers that it might be you? So, I put it together. I kind of piece it together. So I got a text from creative,

hey, you guys have nothing this week. And then actually travel text says, hey, you guys don't need to, you guys are not flying out. I'm in a group chat with Indus Share with our travel department. And then 20 minutes later, I get a separate text saying,

actually, you are going. And I thought it was a little weird that it was just me and not Indus share, but I didn't think anything of it. And then like a few hours later, I've seen the announcement on Twitter. former WV champion returns. And I knew it wasn't going to be mean.

But I figured, like, I'm going to be a part of it. And so I texted it in the share. Hey, are you guys going to Raw? They said, no. It was just me going. So I'm like, okay, it's a good chance. I think it's me. And actually it was Christmas week.

I was with my family in Calgary. And I flew back, I think, on the 30th. Yeah, I was flying back on the 30th. And when I was in my flight, I got a text from one of the writers. Hey, can you talk on the phone? I said, I'm in the plane for, I'm in the plane for, a few more hours when I land, I'll call you. So when I landed, is one of the writers.

He said, yeah, so we got you in the segment with The Rock. They're like, K-Fabe. I said, yes, yes, 100%. I'm looking forward to it. So that's how I found out. Man, found it two days before. The reaction when you came out was hilarious. Yeah, yeah.

Because they're like, and the return of a former WWE champion, it cuts to the crowd. Yeah. And there's one specific guy with glasses on. and he's like he has his phone he's all excited yeah yeah it puts it down yeah i think the on twitter people had kind of figured it out that that rock is coming so i and uh i think maybe at one point one of the cameramen like mid promo near the end of it my my segment he like ran up the ramp maybe to to catch uh duane coming out and like you can kind of see the crowd yeah yeah turn but it's okay whatever it's all good but the the reaction you got was so perfect it was and

then uh when i started the promo like i feel like i feel like The crowd really got into it. It was a great promo. Yes. Credit to Brian Goertz, he wrote it. I just feel like people sleep on how good your promos are. That promo was fantastic. I feel like I've gotten better with experience and time.

There once was a time where I hated promos. I had to memorize every word. I remember being in like FCW and every Wednesday we would have promos with Dusty Rhodes. And I'd be so nervous. Because, like, the hardest people to do promos in front of are, like, other wrestlers. Sure, sure. You feel like they're judging you. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Especially in developmental, like, every week matters so much. You're trying to, you know, get to the next level. So I used to have to memorize promos word for word, like, the morning of I'd be, like, stressing. I'm trying to figure it out word for word. And then, actually, when I became WWE champion is when I really started working on my promos. when I became number one contender, when I came back in Gorilla, I knew that I'm going to have to step up my promos.

So that day in Gorilla, right when I came back, I told Vince, I said, hey, Vince, on every live event, can I please get a promo? He called up a road dog. He said, Brian, come here. Every live event from now on, Jinder has a promo. So every live event after that,

open mic, do whatever before the match, cut a promo. And through that, just got more and more experience. He got more and more comfortable. Yeah, but had I not asked, hey, can I please do promos? You know, I don't think I would have progressed as much.

You'd never know, because almost every segment was you out there cutting some sort of a heel promo. Yeah, a lot of promos. Getting the crowd to just hate you. Yeah, yeah. What was the conversation you had with The Rock backstage before that segment? Oh, it was amazing. I met him at his hotel, and Brian Gerwitz was there. He wrote an awesome promo.

Like, when he sent it to me, I was, Can we say? Yeah. Okay. I guess for Rock, you know, anything goes. So, no, he just said, have fun. Let's do it. He was excited to work with me, and I was obviously excited to work with him.

And, no, he's just a class act of rock is amazing for him to give me that moment. And especially Brian tell me, like, we got time, don't rush. Because I was actually kind of shortchanging myself. I was like, maybe, like, I'll walk and talk to the ring. He said, no, no, no, enjoy it, have a full entrance, get some heat. We were a lot at 20 minutes. Wow. Yeah.

Yeah. So it was an awesome experience. Yeah, it wasn't like you got to the ring, grabbed the mic, said a few words, and rock's music hit. Like, you cut a legit promo. Yes. I believe he wanted people to think, like, it's just going to be, like, run it long enough to where people just think this is it, more of a surprise than when rock come. Amazing. And then, you know, I think a lot of people thought that was just the rock returning for one night and look what it's become now.

Yes. He actually kind of left a little bit of an Easter. He sent me a voice note like, like, thank you, appreciate, you know, working with you. And I look, I'll be seeing a lot more of you around now that I'm doing things all across the board with WWE all across the board. And it didn't click in. After a few days later, then it did. I was like, that's what he meant by doing things all across the board. This episode is brought to you by Doer. And if you watch these interviews on YouTube, you know that generally speaking I'm wearing a t-shirt and jeans. And my go-to pair of jeans, the most comfortable pair of jeans that I've ever owned, are from Doer. With Doer, I have the confidence that these pants

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Pick more, pick less. It's that easy. If we go way back here, where does it all begin for you? I always love talking to fellow. Canadians. Calgary, I feel like you have to say Calgary, Alberta, Canada, because of the way last storm said. But it all begins in Calgary for you. Yes. Yeah. And when did you, when did you fall in love with wrestling? So I fell in love with wrestling at a young age, as long as I can remember,

I was watching WWF being from Calgary, Brett Hart, Owen Hart. Brett was my guy before then Ultimate Warrior. But when I saw Brett, like, become champion and, you know, all through that era. Just being from Calgary, Brett was everybody's idol. You know, he's like a god in Calgary. So after that, then watching guys like rock and Stone Cold, got into Attitude era. And then even, like, when I was in high school, then seeing Orton, like, the guys that, you know, I've been lucky enough to share the ring with.

Like, I was watching those guys in high school. I just always wanted to do it. I just started training and just started wrestling. locally in Calgary I would wrestle for Stampede Wrestling a few other smaller promotions every here and there but Bruce Hart would run a show

in Calgary every Friday Natty was there T.J. Tyson Kid Harry Smith near the end, Tyler Breeze Victor from Ascension was there we had a nice little group of guys good talented guys

and we would wrestle every week and then maybe Saturday Edmonton are like a spot shows we stayed busy year round. There just wasn't really a path for people like from Canada to get to WWE. I don't feel like it's the same as like what it is now. The internet's like really changed everything. Yeah, back then, WWE never came to Canada that much.

And there wasn't, to my knowledge, it wasn't like trials. A trial was like when you were kind of like an extra talent and, or you did have a dark match or something. That was considered a trial. And they never came that often. I did some extra work one time. for a raw. I got to go in the ring a little bit before then. Jamie Noble was kind of running

matches and I was just so nervous. I got so blown up. It was just wasn't a good showing. I feel like you're deceivingly tall. Like, and you're deceivingly big. Maybe it's because you're in the ring with like big people all the time. Yeah. But like when someone meets you in person, they're like, oh my gosh. I hear that a lot. Everybody who meets me in person, they're like, you're what, you're big? I guess I don't know big on TV. How big did they think you are?

I don't know. Yeah. 511 or something. Although I guess when you see you in the ring with Randy or someone like that, you know, your nose to nose with him. No, nose to runs with Rand.

Yeah, me and Randy are the same. Me and Drew, same, six, six, five, 240. And I think you just saying that, I think shocks people.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And it's also funny because when you look at you, when you debuted in WWE versus you as WWE champion, they're like two completely different people. Yes, yeah.

And I know I'm jumping all over the place with, the timeline here, but it was like a reinvention for you, right? When you got released from WWE, you completely came back as a whole different version. So I actually didn't come back as a different version. If you look back to when I came back, I wasn't in the shape that I got. But if we back up a little bit, so I got released in 2014, for like a year and a half, I wasn't doing much. I was working the Indies, but not like prominent Indies, not like the Ring of

Bonners or nothing like that. Just like the local, I was living in Texas at the time, just a little Texas Indies. Yeah. Kind of just, uh, as like a former WWE superstar. I wasn't doing anything to reinvent myself.

And I was still like, unmotivated. At that time, I was just eating garbage. I was out of shape, just doing Indies. And then, um,

I'd move back to Tampa. This is before I got signed back. I'd move back to Tampa and, um, I just decided no more drinking. I'm going to start training. So quit alcohol. I was drinking pretty often beers.

I was just so bored all day. I live in Texas alone. He's working in these, drinking, not training. He's doing, just kind of coasting by. Yeah. Right? So I came back to Tampa. I was like, okay, I'm not going to drink anymore, and I'm just going to train.

I'm going to diet. I got like a meal prep company, nutrition solutions, Chris, Cavalini. I got with those guys started dieting and everything. And then one month after Mark Carrano called me. hey, we want to bring you back, Ron SmackDown are doing the roster splits. Yeah. And we need some guys that we can just,

that are TV ready, essentially just fill roster space, get hired back to become WWV champion. So when I came, I think I came, I debuted like two months after that, after that phone call. So then luckily I had already started,

so I just trained and died it for another two months. So when I came back, I came back with Heath Slater, when Heath was looking for a job or something, I came out with him and Mick Foley said, okay, Heath, you want a job? Actually, gender's here. You guys have a match right now.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So at that time, I wasn't in great shape, but I was already in the middle of the process of dieting and training. And then I'd hired a coach, do my nutrition for me. And I just took it very seriously. Because during that time that I was released near the end,

before I came back, I kind of realized I didn't take advantage of my opportunity. Like, this was like a life-changing, opportunity essentially and I just kind of got unmotivated when I was in 3MB and along with Drew and Heath just the way things were going like instead of kind of playing victim we should we should have I should have took it as an opportunity to just level up and be like hey listen we got to work hard not not we're only in 3MB we don't I don't have to work as hard like I'm not doing anything meaningful yeah so just getting

that second opportunity, I knew like, okay, like this is life changing again. Like, I'm blessed to have a second opportunity, not that many people get that second opportunity. And I got to, like, maximize it. I got to take this opportunity. And I really got to apply myself and focus, diet, train every day. Because, you know, every day with WWE is a blessing. You know, these careers are short. You know, if we compare it to another career, it's not at 20 or 30. For some, it is, but generally speaking, you have a few years, make the best of it. Yeah. And, you know, use it to transition into whatever you do next.

So are you just looking in the mirror during this transition every day being like, I'm getting massive? So I never actually got bigger. I just got super ripped. I was light. Super ripped. Yeah. I was, I never got bigger.

I'm 230. Even when I won the title, I was about 225. So you dropped weight. Yes. You dropped weight to look that big. Yeah, I wasn't big. Yeah. Stop saying you weren't big.

Yeah, I looked bigger because I was in really good shape. I had a slim waist and like a V-taper and, you know, you have separation in your delves and biceps. So you look big, like the muscles are, muscle bellies are round. Vines in your delts, yeah, veins in your pecks. Yeah, I've always been very vascular, just genetically. Like, I can even have like a bit of a bit of a gut and still have like arm veins. We hate you for that, by the way. That's ridiculous.

But it was just the shape you were in was crazy. Yeah. You look like a guy that could win the championship at that point. Yeah. When did they start to see you as someone different? Okay. So, yes, yeah. So Vince appreciates good physique,

not just because it's a good physique, but he understands the discipline it takes and the hard work it takes. Yeah. Especially with the schedule at that time, the amount of live events we were doing, like to maintain a single digit body fat percentage while traveling that much is a sign of dedication. Sure.

So, and WWE is a place that they reward hard work. So, but also that hard work, that the right opportunity. At that time, I had done the spot with Bronk at WrestleMania. And I remember WrestleMania Week in Orlando. I'm at the hotel and I see Road Dog in the hallway. And he's like, hey, gender, big things after WrestleMania coming for you.

I said, okay, okay. I think maybe like we move up to the IAC level, or a U.S. championship level, a little bit more TV time, which is good. So draft happened, got drafted to Smackdown. And Rusev was actually supposed to work Randy

at that pay-per-view. Rusev gets hurt. He has shoulder surgery. And I guess I was just picked. We had a six-pack challenge match. How I actually found out, the night before we were on a live event, I remember I was taping my wrist.

It might have been Luke Harper. We seen on Twitter that the six-pack challenge match number one contender. It was Luke Harper who told me like, you're going over, you're going to work Randy. Because I was thinking Harper's going to work Randy. I looked at the list of guys, me, Sammy Zane, Luke Harper, Eric Rowan, myself, and one other. I can't remember. Maybe Mojo. I can't remember who it was. I figured it was going to be Luke Harper.

And Luke told me. And then Randy came a little bit later. He's like, I guess we're working. And then before the match, Randy told me he's like, he's like, I think it's just a one-off because I'm still supposed to work Ruseppe. It's okay, whatever. Yeah, it's great. I get a number one contender match at Backlash in Chicago.

Okay, great. Even if that's it, just won title shot. I was just released not even a year ago. Yeah. And then I don't know what changed. I got some momentum leading up to backlash. cut a couple promos. Vince really liked.

And I found out the day of, like the afternoon, say maybe like 5 p.m. I seen Road Dog in the hallway. He said, hey, you're going over. And I believe he told Randy, hey, go talk to Vitt. Like, he's like, gendres up, but go talk to Vince. Randy went and talked to Vince. We put the finish together.

And, yeah, that was it. Man, so what a wild ride. To go from being released, not really doing much. Getting the call to come back a year later. Yeah, actually another thing happened. A few days before, like I seen it on Twitter, I think there was like some betting odd,

betting on wrestling going on, and I see like the odds sway in my favor. I don't know, some smart money went again, but the odds swayed in my favor. I don't know. I was just like, okay, that's kind of weird, but whatever. And you didn't even know. No, I don't know anything.

I'm last to find anything out. Wow. I don't want to know ahead of time. It's fine. Just I don't need to know why I think about it, worry about it or stress about it. Just tell me as we go. Did things change?

Did they tell you you're going over and we're going to keep this on you for a while? No, no idea. Wow. I have no idea. Just week to week, pay-per-view to pay-per-view. No, I had no idea. And then even when I lost the title to AJ, Vince brought us to the office, told me that day,

because it was on a Smackdown. We were in Manchester. The match got made while we were already on the Europe tour, like the first week of the Europe tour. Match got announced while I'm already there. Yeah. And Vince called us into the office. Hey, we're doing the title switch today.

Yeah. You're now going to chase. Is that easy? Thank you, sir. Yeah. Thank you. Let's go do it. You won, like, clean, right?

You could call this a clean victory against Randy, right? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's clean. You've had some outside interference. Interface. It's a distraction, but it's a clean win, right? Yeah, yeah. Not a lot of people getting clean wins over.

So Randy, yes. Yeah, yeah. Randy, all credit to Randy's, I would say Randy's the, in my opinion, the greatest. If you look at longevity, look, his ability in the ring, is pacing, heel or baby face. Good heel, better, sorry, good baby face, even better heel. Yeah. Amazing heel, amazing baby face. Like, Randy, to me, is the best.

And I really learned a lot. Actually, while I was number one contender, we were also in Europe. Before the Backlash, pay-per-view, we were in Europe for two weeks, and I got to have a triple threat match for the entire two-week tour with AJ and Randy. So, like, every night I got more and more relaxed.

Working like main event style. Because I never worked at, WWM main event style is different. What's different about it? The pacing. Randy's so over, our AJ, these guys are so over, you don't need to, like, rush. Like, they do a big kickout and you can, like, take your time to react. And, um, I don't know, just sometimes, like, when you wrestle other, um, guys lower on the card, as, like, I was myself, we got to do so much to, like, try to get a reaction.

And we kind of, like, I don't know, we plan too much of the match. But, like, with those guys, it's completely relaxed. Just like, in the moment, listen to the crowd. Okay, here, here, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. The crowd's really into it. Yeah, there's definitely a big difference. Everyone says that Randy's so easy to work with. Super easy.

What is it that makes him so good and makes it so easy? Simplicity, not over-complicating things, listening to the crowd. He knows himself. He knows his character. Everything he does is perfect. There's no waste in motion. He does the simplest thing that just makes it look so good. Like, it's just his punch, garvin's dumb.

Simple. Crowds reacting. Yeah. He's just like levels above. What's the thing from your championship run that you're most proud of? It's becoming champion. I mean, I was a 50th ever champion. Yeah.

The thing that actually that I'm most proud of is becoming WWE champion after 10 months, within 10 months of being released. Like I came back from being released from doing nothing, getting no bookings, nobody nobody was really booking me yeah you know i wasn't like a hot commodity on the on the independent scene to becoming wb champion what does it what does it mean for you to be the first indian wb champion yeah uh it's amazing um you know representation and diversity matters so much like when i was growing up there was no one liked me on television we had tiger out leasing for a short period of time um but times were different back then and like uh characters were

different foreign characters were treated differently. So it was a huge moment, man. Everybody, the South Asian community, the diaspora, we got like two billion people on Earth. Like one in four people on Earth is South Asian. Like Brown, you know, from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, you know, just South Asian in general. Yeah.

Yeah. The population there is huge, but also the diaspora. America, England, UK, all over. Australia, the Indian population, South Asian population is very, very big. And it was a big moment for everyone, a whole community. Everybody still talks about it.

Like, everywhere I go, I meet people that say, yeah, man, like, you know, respect. Like, you did it. You must be a megastar when you go over there. Everybody is. Honestly, everybody in WWP is. WV so, so big. They're like, everybody watches it as crazy.

But, yeah, this last time we went, Yeah, I made the mistake of just stepping out at the hotel and not a good idea. But it's like that with everybody. Like, they just, like, the level of admiration and respect that they have, like, love for WWE is unlike anywhere else I've ever seen. For people who don't know, what's a Maharaja? So, like, the grand king.

Like, the Araja is a king and the maha means, like, oh, okay. Like the grand king. Yeah. King of kings in a way. Did you come up with the modern-day Maharaja? It's great alliteration. Great alliteration.

I kind of stole it. I actually, so my cousin is also a wrestler. Gamma Singh is my uncle. His son, a Raj Singh, he wrestles in TNA. He said it back in the day when we were tag teaming on the Indies, like before I even came to WWE. So he said it first. You're giving credit where credits do.

I appreciate that. Yeah, he said it first, yeah. But I made it popular. Clearly. The United States Soccer Federation present the U.S. Soccer Podcast. My name is David Goss, and I'm joined by my co-host, Megan Clevenberg.

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The U.S. Soccer Podcast, presented by Hencoe, follow and listen on your favorite platform. I feel like, there's a certain amount of, like, disrespect that's attached to you being WWE champion. Yeah. And I'm sure you feel it. Yeah, yeah. Why? So, you know what?

What's weird for a period of time, there was disrespect, but now all of a sudden there's respect. It's weird. It's flipped. It's flipped. Yeah. Like, I had the same thing with 3MB. Like, at the time, 3MB socks, like, what are these guys, like, release 3M? And B, like, but now, like, everywhere I go, people are like, 3B was awesome.

We love 3MB. I was like, okay. But, you know what it is? People think that I was just giving it, like I've heard, oh, because of India. But I was the same when I got released. And if I didn't have that transformation and really have that mindset change and apply myself fully, I wouldn't have became WW champion. Yeah.

Like, yes, it's a business, but so was every other champion. and like where it's a WB is a business. So I think people believe like I was deserving of it. I was just giving it because of, oh, we want to expand in India. But India was there while I was released when I was in 3MB, when I debuted. Yeah.

The market's always been big since Great Khali. And people forget that it was not just a few weeks that you held the title. It was six months. Six months, yeah. It's a real title, right? Yeah, six months, yeah. Yeah. And like, again, to win it clean from Randy.

Yeah. And then to transition from there to AJ. Shinski, then AJ, yep. It's pretty fantastic. No, it was good, man. I got to do so many things. Got the main event, like every arena in the world, majority of the arenas in the world.

Not Madison Square Garden, though. It's still on the bucket list. I don't know if it'll ever happen. Main event team Madison Square Garden, but London O2 Arena. We went all over the world, South America, Chile. Our Chile's amazing.

Argentina. I didn't get to defend the championship in India. I had lost it by then, but I had the match with Triple H right after that. But I got to take the championship on a media tour. So that was very cool. That was a highlight moment. Yeah.

To promote the India show, I went two, three months before. Took the WWE championship there. It was an amazing time. But the match I got to have a Triple H in India, another highlight moment. Dude, that's amazing. Yeah, amazing.

It's like listing off bucket list items. Yeah, that was actually one of his last matches, maybe one of his last 10. So I'm lucky to be able to have that experience with Triple Age, especially in India. What's it like putting together a match with Triple H? We didn't put a lot of it together. We just called it in the ring. Wow. Especially tours or live events.

We don't get there that long before the match or the show. Maybe we get there, like, as doors are opening, an hour. He had stuff going on during the day, not during the day, at the, meeting with people, so did I, I had some meeting, greets. Yeah, I remember, like, I didn't even really warm up that well. I got my wrist tapes. He's getting taped up. We're talking about the finish.

And we're not sure who's going to be healed, who's going to be babyface. And I think I had an idea. I said, let's do old school intros. It was a non-title match, but it's the main event. So just do old school intros. And from there, what kind of gauge is the way it's going to go? And he was actually very giving in the match. Like, like, give me a,

tackle. I'm giving one tackle. He took like a huge bum. All right. It's like, yeah, all right. What was the original pitch for 3MB? So, I don't know.

Okay, so I'll tell you the full story. So I can remember where we were. I get to the arena. I get to the locker room at call time 2 o'clock. And I hear Heath Slater saying, oh, man, I'm going to get a band. Like, I just talked to Vince. And I joke said like,

uh, watch, I'll be in the band. Complete joke. And, uh, some names are being thrown around Johnny Curtis, Fandango.

At that time, Dean Ambrose was doing some dark matches. Oh, maybe Dean Ambrose. Did you imagine Tina Ambrose and 3MB? Yeah. No, yeah,

luckily that didn't happen for him. Um, but yeah, we're just, oh, maybe Kurt Hawkins, just like throwing usual names. But then,

um, me and Drew are walking in the hallway. No, it was just me in the hallway. And I see Scott Armstrong. He has the card. I mean, hey, Scott, who am I working today? Can I see the card? Okay, he's Slater versus Brodus Clay with Jinder Mahal, Drew McIntyre.

And at the same time, one of the writers, the Kevin Eck, he grabs Drew McIntyre right at the same time, like takes him to the stands. I guess he had to break the news to him. I was like, okay, I guess I'm in the band. And then I think we were still going to. Oh, we were talking about, I'm still going to keep my trunks. And then Vincent said, no, leather pants for everybody. So we had to go to the seamstressies, get leather pants made. I was like, okay, I guess we're doing this.

We had an air guitar practice. Oh, yeah, okay. So the week later, sorry, the next week, before the leather pants are ready, I think we had one more run in or something. We had something going on. And at the end of it, like we just started, we're told to dance. So I'm doing like, bung it out, like Indian dance, the jubby dance.

And I don't know what Drew. doing and he's air guitaring. We come back and we get in trouble like you guys are a band what are you guys doing you guys have to do something together like you guys don't look like a band like a rock and roll band yeah okay so like go to the fcw and you guys work out some stuff so we went to fcw they booked it out build the motte gave us the entire uh the big ring and yeah we just practice air guitar in the ring yeah yeah yeah did you realize when they handled and this to you that this doesn't seem like a faction that might win a lot of matches. Yeah, I knew.

I knew and I kind of, I knew it was going to take a lot to come back from this. Like to kind of re-it, like, after this, I need to somehow reinvent myself, like, in a big way. And this is just what it's starting out. Yeah, yeah. But the same time, we've got to make the best of it. Sure. We have this gimmick. We don't have a choice.

We got to make the best of it. Did you feel like at any point you could say, I don't want to do this? Well, we thought we were a real rock band and acted like one and partyed like one. It was fun. So it was a great time with Heath and Drew. At that time, it was fun. But I wasn't training or taking it seriously.

We would only just have short matches and show up hungover, which was wrong. Like, had I applied myself like I did when I came back? Yeah. I could have reinvented myself and came out of 3MB and like, you know, done something great, better than being released. So that when you did get released, were you like, yeah, kind of, you know, kind of expected this. No, I didn't because we were booked a lot. We were booked on every live event, every TV.

Well, we weren't doing much, but we were on every week. We're on TV a lot. And I had my calendar for like two, three, two, three months in advance booked on everything. tours, everything. I don't know, just sometimes you don't think you're going to get released. I don't know. I didn't think it was going to happen. Actually, when I got the call, I was thinking, oh, maybe I'm off live events this week.

I don't know, maybe my schedule was like, hey, we need you to go in here and here. Like, plans change around the other house show loop. So, yeah, I didn't think I was going to get released. It was a bit of a shock. That's got to be such a tough moment because this is your dream, you know, when you're a kid, your dreams to be in WWE. Now you're in WWE, and all of a sudden, just like that, it's taken away. Yeah, it's tough because I was really young at that time, too.

I was 2014, so I was 27. I love how long it took you. I'm not a mathematician. It's 27. Yeah, so I mean... I was really young and... Yeah. Yeah, and I, especially before 3MB,

I did the NXC finals with Seth Rawlins, and I really felt like I was starting. break out a little bit, but then kind of 3MB was a big step back, but I don't know. I was just kind of hoping that I'd get a chance to reinvent myself, but I did, but it just it was just on a different timeline. Yeah, but looking back, like being released was probably the best thing that happened to me. In all fairness, like, I wouldn't have got as motivated or like, um, changed my mindset as much. Because getting released, like, you, you reflect, like, and getting that second opportunity,

having that appreciation for that second run, right? You kind of become complacent. I had become complacent when I was in 3MB, just phoning it in, not putting in the best effort, which is absolutely wrong, especially in WWE, because, you know,

you can't take this career or, you know, time in WWE for granted, right? Both you and Drew. Like both of you guys reinvented yourself. Both of you guys were totally different. Next level, yeah. Drew's the, I was a Drew's,

one of the greatest professional wrestlers in the world. Bar none, he can do everything. He's so athletic, his promos, especially now the Drew that we're seeing now. Incredible. Confidence, right? Amazing. Did you see that in him when you guys run three and be?

When I was in FCW and Drew was on Smackdown as the chosen one, like I would look at Drew and be like, man, if only I could get to Drew's level. No, Drew's always been, he's always been. the man. Like even in 3MB, like sometimes you would have like the odd singles match and like just tear the place down. Like he was just frustrated and he would just put on a crazy performance. I was like, wow. Like this guy's the man. I loved seeing all these people that were like two of the three guys and 3MB are now world champions. Yeah, yeah, WBJ would have thought, right? Pretty incredible. Yeah, which is going to get Heath Slater on board. I mean, second run. You still got time,

you know? Yeah, he still got kids. So let's get it going. He still got kids. Yeah, he still got those kids. Where are you at now? Where's your motivation now? Motivation now is... I just know you have to be ready all times. Anything could happen.

My career has always been ups and downs, ups and downs. I'm doing nothing. Oh, I'm W&B champion. Oh, I'm 24-7 champion. I'm doing nothing. Oh, shoot, day one, I'm at the rock. Oh, shoot, I got a title match with Seth Rohn. So I just stay ready.

Luckily, like, I went to NXT for a year. six months with Indus share, we got drafted to Raw. And then I'm just managing them and I'm pitching some six-man, six-man tags or, hey, I want to wrestle. I kind of got told, like, for now you're just managing. Luckily, I stayed in shape. Because after the rock promo, I wasn't supposed, the plan was not to wrestle, Seth. It was just one rock promo and I think it just went well. And we need a match with that.

They remembered how great you were. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. So all it takes is one moment. And I tell that to other people. the in the locker room too. Sometimes guys are down or they're frustrated. I just tell them, guys,

stay positive. Do what's in your control, right? I can only control what I can control. So more than motivation, I just have good habits and I tell myself, you know, a positive message at all times, you know, positive affirmations. I think positive because it's easy to get negative. Is that every day? Positive affirmation? No, I mean, no, I don't tell myself. Just in general, like I have a positive mindset. Yeah. But anytime I start to feel myself, like, thinking negatively, like, I make a point to change it.

Like, no. Like, don't even think that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Just staying ready, staying humble, doing what I can. And if my job is to manage Indus Share, I'm going to be the best manager possible, right? Yeah.

Also, and the motivation is, like, helping this next generation, helping guys, like, into share or when I was with Shanky or Sing Bros. Sing Brothers, all these guys, like I really want to see them excel and I really do my best whatever I can, whatever experiences I have, because I do have a lot of experiences in WWE or anybody in the locker room,

but like right now, Indushera, you know, it's helping them with their matches. Because both those guys come from different backgrounds. Veer, former baseball player, Sorov, Sangha, is an actor. So they're new to wrestling. Yeah. So just helping those guys out and telling them just, hey, stay ready, right? At any time, like, could be tag team champions, could be on a pay-per-view.

And when that opportunity comes, we have to knock it out out of the part. Right. Yeah. That one bad performance, that sets you back a year or six months, you know. And, yeah, just having good habits is important. Having discipline, living a disciplined life is very important. As you know, man, you're in shape. I'm trying to keep up with you.

You're Sambo. You know what it is. Yeah, it's a lifestyle, right? Yeah, it is. Yeah, it sucks, but this is the job. You're right. It's the decisions that you make every day. Like, that's what discipline's all about.

Yeah. Is it you have the choice, right? Is it eat the chocolate cake, which sounds great, by the way? Yeah, yeah. Or is it eat like the chicken breast or whatever it happens to be? And that compounds over time. Yeah, compound effect. Yeah.

Yeah, there's a great book called the compound effect. Oh. Yeah. It's about that. All these small wins, the compound. Yeah, I'll have to check that out. Yeah, yeah, please do it. You came really close to beating Seth Rollins.

Like, that was, like, the way they booked that match, it made it feel like it would have been, it would have been amazing. It would have been, like, a great moment right before WrestleMania, like creating some buzz like that, even if he wins it back a week later or something. Yeah, WWB, I would like to see more surprises. Like when I became WW champion, it was a big surprise. We get surprises, but I think we need a little bit more.

Most of the champions right now have held it for a long time, yes, Seth, Damien Priest, even with the money in the bag, the tag team. Roman, of course. Roman, yeah, judgment days. Been some time. Logan Paul, U.S. championship. Yeah, all the champions have been champions for a while. Yeah, I would love to see one of the titles, like, switch really quick. Yeah.

Just keep things interesting. But I get it, the champion, the championships, like when whatever superstars hold them for a long time, it does really elevate them to the next level. So I understand. I see it, and it's kind of more old school where the champion is a champion for a long time. Yeah, I do like that, too. Where were you when you saw the tweet from Tony Conn? Oh, I was at home.

I think it was early in the day. I think I had just done cardio. Drew had texted me. And I got like a bunch of texts in a row. I was like, I got to see this. And I opened up Twitter and that's what I saw it. Thank you, Tony.

Yes. You made, you know, that match was Seth more interesting. Oh, yeah. Watched it. Yeah. People actually thought I was going to, I was going to win it just to spite Tony. There was so much buzz around that.

Yeah, it was. Because of that one tweet. Yeah, I was surprised. Everybody stuck up. for me. Of course. It never happened before. And then WWE put a montage on YouTube of like, here's Jinder Mahal's championship

run. Check it out. If you're inserted into a championship match, it should make sense. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like that does make sense. And it makes things interesting. Like I believe, especially with Seth being the kind of workhorse champion that he is, like, he defends it with anybody. Yeah. Yeah.

Don't hinder gender. Because the way that the championship match came, the title came, it was through a promo where I essentially insulted him in character. So he said, okay, you want a shot? You get it. Nothing wrong with that, right? I do love Don't Hinder Jinder.

Yes, yeah. I think that's fantastic. Do you know how it started? It was a sign in Chicago. Some fan had a sign in Chicago one time that said, don't hinder, hinder gender, and they zoomed in on it. And it just kind of took off and had it as a life of its own. That's so good.

Yeah, it's not something. I don't think I've ever said don't hinder gender, ever on. I don't think I've ever said it on TV or anything. It's just in the background. It's a thing that's attached to you, though. It is. It is. A lot of people say it to me.

Like if I'm walking down the street, like here at WrestleMania, we people around, don't enter gender. Like I said, I just say, hey, gender. They say, don't enter gender. When you walked into the hotel, by the way, did you just get bombarded here? Because this is the Russell Khan Hotel. Not bombard, just a few. Just a few.

Yeah, I was on my phone when I was busy. Yeah, just looking down. You know, if you, I like meeting, meaning fans, especially WrestleMania time. That's what I really missed because during COVID, we didn't have any experiences like this. There was no WW World or Access. And last year, I didn't get to go in Los Angeles.

So I like being in the city where WrestleMania is. Even if I'm not doing anything, just being around the buzz, you know, the whole city comes alive and all the wrestling fans are here. And other wrestlers, like I have friends in different promotions, independent wrestlers that are here for RussellCon, are working independence. Yeah. You know, I get to see them.

So it's like a big reunion. Is Russell Made in 34 a real highlight for you? Would I want the U.S. championship? Yeah. Yeah. Amazing. Yeah. Yeah.

It was supposed to be Randy and Bobby Rood in a singles. And somehow, I think maybe Randy maybe made it happen to a triple threat at least. And then, yeah, I think he got it got me at it. And then Rusev Day took off. And then he got added in and it was awesome. And no one expected me to win that night either. It's like the story of your career. Yeah, exactly.

Yeah. Yeah. All good. And then I didn't really have a long reign with it. I think the next week I lost to Jeff Hardy. I got drafted to Raw. He stayed on Smackdown or he came to Smackdown with the U.S. championship.

So I didn't have a long reign. But whatever. But you had the WrestleMania moment. WrestleMania moment. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. I was talking to Bobby Root about this. He's like, yeah,

the match was great, but I didn't get my entrance. Oh, really? Yeah, Bobby's like, I didn't get to hear my song play at WrestleMania. Okay, maybe they're paying a package or something. I think another match ran over or something. Yeah, we did get cut time. And my entrance was really long, actually, because I didn't know why the music just kept playing and playing and playing.

But then actually, when I watched it later, they were showing all the international commentators like during my entrance, whatever. It's a heck of a theme song. Your theme song can play as long as we want. I get that a lot. A lot of people tell me that. Like, your theme's a banger. Even a lot of the boys.

Actually, Tamina told me one time I entered music was playing, and Vince was dancing and gorilla. What? Yeah, yeah. I said the same thing. What? So, yeah, he was dancing and gorilla, like Indian dancing.

Do you remember hearing it for the first time? Yeah, I didn't actually like it that much. What? Yeah. What are you talking about? Because based off of what I had given them to kind of as inspiration, it was nothing like that. What did you give them? Other Punjabi songs, you wouldn't know.

There's an artist called Diljid, D-L-J-I-T. I gave him some of his songs as like a sample. But I love it. It's good. You love it now. I love it. It grew on it. I can't believe you wouldn't hear that for the first time.

It'd be like, yes. It's great. Just because I had given something else. So your expectations were different. Yes, different, yeah, yeah. But it's all good. I love it, yeah. Like from the second it hits, it's like, we don't like this guy.

Yeah, exactly, exactly. Yeah, it's a dope song. Perfect for me. My music got switched temporarily when I was with Shanky, something else, but luckily it got brought back when I was in NXT that brought it back. What did you do to work on your promos? Because I feel like you can really see a transition. Yeah, so I started also working with an acting coach.

Oh, that really helped. And just experience, just relaxing. Because habit is to be tense and yell as be a heel, but you just got to relax, talk, not plan word for word, just be conversational. And listen to the crowd, acknowledge the crowd. It just takes time. It just takes time and experience.

And luckily I had asked for those extra problems. almost on the live events. I feel like there's an element of Muhammad Hassan when you start speaking in another language. Yeah, yeah. And the crowd gets just infuriated because you're yelling at them in another language. We don't know what you're saying.

Yeah. Obviously, you're not saying something good about us. Yeah. And is there some sort of an element there? Like, I guess, you know, Sean Navarre's backstage, you know, he worked with Muhammad Hassan so closely. Yeah.

Maybe there's some inspiration there. Yeah, yeah, definitely, yeah. Yeah, a lot of foreign heels. and WWWF speak different languages. Yeah, it's just like pro wrestling one-on-one. Right, it's just one of those things that always works. But you are, you are cutting a promo. Yeah, I'm saying it.

Yeah. So if somebody does speak. Yeah, it's Punjabi, yeah, they'll love it. Yeah, yeah, because they understand it. Because WB's global, right? Yeah. All these languages, everybody understands, they relate to. Like, that's a good thing with it.

That's what I really like. You know, WW shows, you know, it's diversity, different languages, people from all over the world, different languages, different cultures, you know, come together in this one place and, uh, but on live television. What did you learn from the acting coach that really helped your promos? Uh, pacing and, uh, sometimes I, I used to make the mistake. Like, I'd get a script and as the sentence is written, I would read it and then take a pause

at the period. Because humans don't talk like that, right? We, we, I might say a word and then continue. Yeah. Yeah. Not say, uh, that is a nice shirt you're wearing. Take a pause. Yeah.

That's a nice shirt, right? So just, and I didn't even realize that. Like when he told me that, you kind of have a habit of just reading it as the period is, and you take a spot at the period. So just working on that and being more conversational. What are the goals you still have in WWA? You know, you've ticked a big one off, right? Yeah.

WVE champion. What are the goals you have? I want to become a Grand Sland champion. So I still need a tag team championship and the IACI title. The IC title is like my title. I was growing up, Mr. Perfect and Brett Hart and Kent Shamrock. And, man, I used to love the IAC championship. But somehow it's evaded me in my whole career.

And Gunther's got a pretty good lock on it. So we'll see. But, yeah, Grand Slam champion. Just longevity. Just continue doing what I'm doing. You've got longevity. I mean, this is, I think this is 20 years of the business this year, right? From when I started.

Yeah, yeah, I started 2004. Yeah, Stampede Wrestling 2004. I got signed in 2010. Debuted on Smackdown in 2011. When I watched my stuff back, oh, my goodness. What's going on? What do you see? What do you see when you watch back?

I sometimes feel like I was too young, like, to be in that position. Like, I really wish I would have debuted. I guess somehow I would have debuted like when I was 30 and just had like this monster run. That way when I became champion, like, because another reason why like I kind of maybe got pushed back from when I became WWE champion was like the way I was presented my entire entire WWE career until that moment. I was just undeveloped like underdeveloped as a performer, confidence, promos and every way, but it's all good.

But then after that you go back down, like I don't know the stats on this, but you're probably one of the only people to be WWE champion and also 24-7 champion. I think the only one. There is. You're making history.

Yeah, the only one, yeah. But it's like from the top to like the 24-7 champion. Yeah. It's strange that the booking doesn't have like any sort of like, I don't know, consistency to it. Yeah, but at the same time,

I can become champion again. That's true. I don't know, maybe that's a unique thing with me. Like, that's what I always kind of, like, view myself as almost like a utility player, whatever I'm needed for. I can do comedy stuff. I can't do serious.

I can do promos. I can do main event. You know, I can. And I think that's why maybe I've had some longevity in WWB because you can put me in any position. You know, I can do everything in a way. You did some fun stuff with our truth. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah. Like, didn't you win the championship on a plane? Yeah, yeah, we were going to Saudi Arabia. Yeah, yeah, that was cool. And it got so many views, like millions of views somehow. It was like the most viewed of that week or that month or like, it got a lot of views. People just like to be entertained. That's what that would be is.

It's just entertainment. I like, I don't take it too seriously. It is what it is. Like, that's why I like doing comedy stuff. This past week I just wrestled Tozawa on main event. Had a great time. Like he's awesome. something we did like a little,

a little bit of comedy stuff. I really like working Santino Morella. He's one of my all-time favorites, and it's just so entertaining. Another fellow Canadian. Yeah, there's just so much stuff you can do with him. And he can be in a main event, and you can do an opening match,

you can do a promo. Like, I just love, like, performer wrestlers with versatility. Do you appreciate this run so much more because you got released, because it was taken away from you? Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. just like everything, you appreciate things more once.

You know, they've been taken away. You become complacent or not entitled. Some people get entitled, but, you know, it's at that time, it was terrible. And like, I didn't understand why. And I, like, kind of acted like I was the victim. But looking back, it was the best thing that happened to me. And I wouldn't be in the same position. I'm in if that didn't happen.

When you say you want to be Grand Slam champion, is it more appealing right now to be the Intercontinental champion or to win the World Championship again, to be the WWE champion again? World Championship. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But I already ticked that off. Yeah. Yeah. Because if I became IC, I still wouldn't be a Grand Slam champion. I would still need tag team.

That's right. Who are you going to be to tag team with? Vera Sangha, Freebird rules. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Or right now we don't have any Indians training anybody, South Asian at the NXT. I would really like to see, you know, WV signed someone, you know, help them bring them up, but then maybe with them.

But right now, Viren Sangha are doing really good. You know, I love their look, their intensity. We just need that opportunity. We need that one breakout moment. And it's coming. I can tell there's just such an appreciation.

that you have for the job that you have. Yeah. Like just an appreciation of like, if you need me to do this thing, I'll do it. You need me to be the champ for six months? Sure, I'll do that too. Yeah, I appreciate things.

I don't take things too seriously, and I'm a genuine fan. Like, I know a lot about WWE history, wrestling history. I even keep up with what's going on in the independence right now. And I think a lot of people don't know that about me. Yeah?

Maybe people, yeah, I feel that way. Like, people don't know maybe that I started on the Indies or like I have appreciation for the business. I love them. the business. I respect the business. I'm like a student of the game. I study everything. I watch everything. I know all kinds of independent wrestlers. I keep up with them. I keep in contact with them. Yeah, a lot of people don't know that about me. Yeah, I just think that there's,

some people think that once you're in WWE, maybe you didn't watch wrestling before, whatever they did. Yeah, or maybe they just thought like they, they, they, they trained me from somewhere and just trained me. No. Yeah, you did it all. I mean, you had, you were working with Natalia, Tyson, Kitton, T.J. Wilson. Yeah, when you talk about Calgary, those are like some of the big names. Yeah, those guys are, yeah, yeah. Even when I was training, like, they were, like, the guys that you knew that were, and gal with Talia, like, like, these, this group is going to go to WWB.

This group is going to. I remember, like, thinking for sure, like, oh, I just remember Harry was like 18, 19. Wow, like, this guy could be the youngest world champion ever. like he was that good he still is an amazing guy looks good great technical wrestler and uh i believe he's in japan right now yeah yeah yeah he's he's doing good there i i think MLW too MLW yeah yeah yeah yeah he does some maybe some blood support stuff yes yeah yeah yeah yeah see you know you know exactly yeah yeah yeah yeah so brett was your guy yeah what's your favorite brett match uh iron man match john micha Yeah, that one.

Yeah. Brett, Mr. Perfect. Um, that's it. So when I was a kid, like I didn't know good wrestling for bad wrestling. I just loved it all. Like, Brett Yokozuna, like amazing. Yeah. Brett Diesel, I'm losing my mind.

Like, Brett, anybody, doesn't matter. Yeah, it could be, uh, I don't know. Anybody, any Brett match was good. Like, he just sold and he was under, like, you're just cheering for him just to overcome Um, who's, who's every, um, generally he was in there with bigger dudes. He also had a way of making it look so real. He did, the turnbuckle.

Yes. The selling. And his punches. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He did. He had like a lot of heart.

Yes. Yeah. Ah. Yeah. But Brett was so ahead of his time. Yeah, he was. Yeah. You look at his matches now and they still.

Yeah. Yeah. Still hold up. Still hold up. It's incredible. Yeah. Owen Hart. Another guy's way ahead of his time.

his in-ring style is technical, fat, working quick. I think Calgary had that style with Dynamite Kid. A lot of the Japanese guys would come, like Tiger Mask, before his Tiger Masked come for the excursions. The European guys would come. It was kind of like a melting pot of styles. The British Mid-Commonwealth Championship, like the not the heavyweights, but like the middleweights,

like those guys they put on amazing matches. Davy Boy, Smith when he was lighter and younger. He was awesome there. Yeah, they had a lot of guys. Even their heavyweights were amazing. David Schultz. Jake the Snake Roberts was there, like really young.

You ever see that? No. Yeah, you got to look back. Yeah, Jake the snakes and... Was it stampede? Yes. Yeah. Yeah, Jake Roberts.

Yeah, he's very young. Are people surprised when they find out you're Canadian? I think now with the internet, everybody knows. But it wasn't like, you know, Heart Foundation or like, you know, Edgy Christian. Like, they're waving. flags like they know they're Canadian. Yeah, yeah.

I think with internet, everybody knows. And well, another unique thing about me is I'm from Calgary, but I'm not trained by the hearts. I trained with Banuze Allen, Batmuse Brown, Jerry Morrow, my uncle Gamma, even Rick Titan, Rick Bogner, the second Razoramon.

Yeah. And I had so many guys like trained me, Phil LaFawn. Just so many guys like in that Calgary area. They would come by, but, but, main coaches, Alan Banuze Brown or Jerry Morrow. Other than your family, of course, what do you miss most about Canada? Um, I really miss.

I'm joking Swiss chalet. Nobody misses snow. Come on. Especially around Calgary, the nature, the mountains. Yeah. Yeah, the summers. My sister lives in Calgary, actually. She lives in Air Derry.

Yeah, yeah. Calgary Stampede. That's a fun time. Yeah, yeah. Every time I go back, I land and I tell my parents, I say, We need to go to the closest Swiss chalet. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I miss Swiss chalet and Tim Horns, of course.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, Canada's a great place. Calgary's growing so much. Every time I go, it's getting bigger and bigger, especially the time that I've been gone. These neighborhoods that popped up where it was just farms before. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

You did that segment with Grong. How did that all come together? I didn't know. So I didn't know what was going to happen ahead of time. I had access that morning, or now it's WWB World. like a signing. Usually the guys who weren't doing anything on WrestleMania, the day of WrestleMania, they send

them there for the meet and greet signings or whatnot. I'm at the signing and I don't have my phone on me. And I do like two hours of signing. And then I got to go straight to the, I think I was going to go to the hotel and then do the arena go a little bit later. I'm just in the battle royal. Whatever, it's all good. And I get to my phone and I have like, all these missed calls.

Mark Carrano, Vince, like all these missed calls. What's going on? And I call them. They're like, hey, get to the arena right now. are you. I'm like, I'm at access. They're like, okay, hurry up. We've got a van for you. So I get in the van and I go straight

there and I get there. They're like, I think we're road dog. He said, hey, you're doing this spot with Gromk. We got rehearsal. Come right now to the ring. And it was pretty simple. We just had to map out how, like, what was the spot with the beer or what was going to bring him in? How are we going to get to the floor there? And then with the tackle, he asked

me out of time like, hey, like, he kind of asked me, like, how do you work the tackle? Just hit me. Actually, he hit me really hard. My back of my head, my neck hit the bottom rope. My neck was sore for like a few weeks after that. Isn't that funny that a professional football player is asking you how to tackle? No, no, like safely. Like, yeah, yeah.

No, just hit me like because him, just hit me. You'll be fine. I'm like, just be square with me. Like don't, you know, don't want your shoulder in me. I'm like chest to chest. You get me as hard as you want. Yeah. Because generally we do hit each other pretty hard on a tackle.

You just don't want to, you know, bend down. and like hit your shoulder. If you go chest to chest, you go chest to chest. We heard that one. Yeah, it's nice and snug, but you know, you don't get injured.

You've been someone that I've wanted to have on the show for so long. Yeah. So thank you for making this happen. Oh, thank you, man. And I know this is a super busy week, so I appreciate you making the time.

Anytime. I look forward to doing it again sometime. I would love to do that. I'd love to have you in the studio next time you're in L.A. Yeah, yeah, for sure. I end every interview with gratitude because it's such a big part of my life.

Yeah. What are three things in your life? What you're grateful for right now? This platform, WWE, has provided me for all these years. My health and just the relationships that I have with everybody, you know, that through this business or just my personal life, just I'm big on relationships. You know, relationships are everything, you know, just networking, meeting good people, like-minded people.

Oh, yeah. I like that. Thank you, sir. Thank you. All right. Hope you enjoyed that conversation with Jinder Mahal as much as I did. I feel like since we did this one during WrestleMania week, we did this two-ish weeks ago. I feel like it's time to do another one with him. Maybe it's not now, but maybe it's in a few months where we see what happens with him. I'm so excited. He is so talented and I can't wait to see what's next for Raj. It's interesting. I put out a tweet. saying that this episode would be coming out.

And Kerry and Cross was very quick to reply to that tweet with a great story. I want to share this with you. He said, that's my guy. Met him working Japan for Anoki and got me on my first India tour pre-WE. Worked in front of 50,000 people with Kali's event and got to spend time in a new country and culture. Never asked for anything in return. There's tons of us he looked out for looking forward to watching this.

hashtag good brother. Look, I haven't met anybody that has anything bad to say about Jinder Mahal in or out of the ring. And selfishly, I just always love seeing a fellow Canadian who's successful. So can't wait to see what's next for him. Snap a screenshot. Let us know that you're listening to this and tag us so we can share it as well. He's at Jinder Mahal.

I'm at Chris Van Fleet. And have you seen this series that they've been doing for? For Noble, the fitness company, no bull. Tom Brady's getting a haircut and he's just spitting wisdom. And there was something he said during one of these clips that I saw that just really stuck with me. The fish don't just jump in the boat. So that's the quote I'm going to leave you with.

The fish don't just jump in the boat. And the idea there is you've got to work. And if we're going to stick with the fishing analogy, you've got to go to the lake or the pond or the stream or the river. You've got to put the bait on. you've got to tie that on, you've got to put that on your line, you've got to cast it out, you've got to work that back, you've got to set the hook, you've got to reel the fish in, the fish don't just jump in the boat. Opportunities will be there, but it's what you do with those

opportunities that are important. So you've got to take the opportunities that you have in front of you and make the most out of those. The fish don't just jump in the boat. The fish are there. They're around you, but you've got to catch them. You've got to reel them in. You've got to get him into the boat. So that's what that meant to me. I hope that inspires at least one person who's listening to this right now. Be great. Be grateful. We will see you on the next one for some more insight. I can't wait. Will Saso makes his return to insight this Thursday. So many impressions. Oh, my gosh. You're going to be inundated with impressions from Jesse Ventura, Hulk Hogan, macho man year Randy Savage.

It wasn't even very good. Arnold Schwarzenegger and so many more. We will see you on Thursday for that one. Jim Rome takes on sports. Why? Because I have a job to do. With rapid fire takes. So I don't want to hear from you lava pigs on this notion today. No idea what you're talking about.

You're complaining more than you like to breathe air. It's like you get up in the morning only to complain and cry and moan on social media. about things that you don't even understand. He's the spitfire of sports smack. Ticket banjo, but get up in here. The Jim Rome Show podcast. What's your beef? Follow and listen on your favorite platform.

You've been warned.