Mahal says he was reluctant to take advice from Vince McMahon but later realized "The Chairman" was a genius.
Number one contender to Randy Orton's WWE World Championship, Jinder Mahal is having a completely different experience than his last stint in WWE. Before leaving WWE in 2014, Mahal was in 3 Man Band (or 3MB, for short) with Drew McIntyre and Heath Slater. In an interview on Talk is Jericho, Mahal discussed what changed for him when he came back to WWE. Certainly, his physique has changed, but Mahal said his relationship with Vince McMahon also has changed.
"I've been closer to Vince. It's weird, my first run or even when I was in 3MB, I'd kind of avoid Vince. Not avoid him but he's intimidating. Now, I have a good relationship with him," said Mahal.
The night he became number one contender, Mahal said he was presented with some last minute input from McMahon.
"He got to the arena really late, like 6:30. That match took a long time to call and we were literally calling it a half hour before match time. He had rewritten my promo. The original promo was something completely different. So when I finished calling the match, one of the writers was like 'hey Vince changed your promo.' I was like 'can you please bring it to me?' They brought it to me. I had read the American comment and all that. I was like 'I like the old promo better.' It was like 'I tried being peaceful but nobody was listening and now I have everyone's attention. I just beat five of Smackdown's very best and I did it all alone' something like that," said Mahal.
He said he was reluctant about the new promo from McMahon because of the anti-American sentiments. He said in the end, McMahon was right because he got a strong reaction. Mahal called McMahon an "evil genius." Mahal faces Randy Orton at WWE Backlash on Sunday May 21st. Fightful Wrestling will be providing live coverage and recapping podcast.
Mahal's interview on Talk is Jericho is available at Podcastone.com.
