3 Feuds for Jinder Mahal if he joins AEW following WWE departure
According to fan conjecture, Jinder Mahal, who is no longer with WWE, could jump ship to AEW. The former world champion made headlines earlier today when he shared a post on social media implying that he quit the Triple H-led company. He changed his Twitter bio to highlight his imminent free agent status as well. Recent updates suggest that Mahal was released by the Stamford-based promotion.
The Indian-Canadian star's departure marks his second exit from WWE, as he had previously been released in June 2014. After plying his trade in the indies for a while, Mahal returned to the sports entertainment juggernaut in 2016 and enjoyed a greater measure of success, including a WWE Championship run and programs with top stars like Randy Orton and AJ Styles.
The 37-year-old star competed on NXT in 2023 and made several appearances on RAW in 2024. Since his release, fans have been speculating on the prospect of Mahal jumping ship and joining AEW. The Jacksonville-based promotion is home to several former WWE stars, and the Modern Day Maharaja could be booked into several feuds.
#1: Jinder Mahal could dare Tony Khan to send HOOK
Fans still remember the controversial social media spat between Jinder Mahall, AEW's Creative Head, and President Tony Khan earlier this year. The latter lashed out at WWE booking Mahal for a World Heavyweight Championship match against Seth Rollins in January despite the former's abysmal win-loss statistics.
Khan contrasted this creative decision to his own, as he had booked FTW Champion HOOK for an AEW World Title match against Samoa Joe.
The Maharaja did not take long to fire back, taking a shot at The Cold-Hearted Handsome Devil in a since-deleted tweet. Should he choose to walk the All Elite path, a feud with HOOK seems to be an obvious starting point for Mahal in the promotion.
#2: Mahal could challenge for the AEW World Title himself
Despite not being a consistent upper-card talent, Jinder Mahal is no stranger to world championship gold. He made history by becoming the first WWE Champion of Indian descent when he defeated Randy Orton at Backlash 2017. He held the gold for over five months before losing it to AJ Styles on Smackdown later that year.
The fate of the AEW World Championship will be decided at Dynasty 2024 in a singles match between champion Samoa Joe and challenger Swerve Strickland. If Mahal signs the Tony Khan-led promotion, he may eventually find himself alongside his former WWE colleagues in the World Title picture. Joe himself had described Mahal as a dangerous competitor, and the latter could try to make history again by becoming the first AEW World Champion of Indian descent.
#3: Mahal could reunite with WWE allies The Bollywood Boyz and gun for Trios gold
Mahal owed much of his success in WWE to his associates, The Singh Brothers. Gurv and Harv Sihra were released from the global entertainment monolith in 2021 after a six-year tenure.
The duo continued to perform in independent promotions and wrestled several matches in AEW in 2023 against teams such as The Gunns and The Acclaimed.
If Mahal decides to join All Elite Wrestling, he could reunite with The Bollywood Boyz and challenge for the Trios Titles. New Undisputed Trios Champions will be crowned in the title unification match between Bullet Club Gold, The Acclaimed, and Billy Gunn at Dynasty 2024. The Bollywood Boyz, with Mahal, could revive interest in the six-person tag division.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Jinder Mahal in pro wrestling.
How would you book Jinder Mahal in All Elite Wrestling? Share your ideas below!