Jinder Mahal was interviewed by The Indian Express this week to promote the company’s upcoming tour to India this December. Several topics were discussed in the video interview, including his journey to the WWE championship:
“The journey is storied, definitely. I’ve had my bottoms and I’ve seen the top. I got released in 2014 due in large to the fact that I’d become unmotivated. Going away was the best thing that happened to me. Having my dream taken away from me remotivated me, got me refocused. It made me really appreciate what I had in WWE.
“One day I just stopped drinking, I started training hard again. I started dieting again. Two months later, WWE called me to come back, and even when I came back I didn’t come back as WWE Champion. I came back at the bottom of the card. I had to work my way up slowly, slowly. I’m still working my way up. Even though I’m WWE Champion, I haven’t hit my maximum potential yet. My potential is far beyond this. I want to go down in history as one of the greatest WWE champions of all time. I need to have great matches against great opponents.
“I’m definitely more motivated. I worked very hard to become WWE champion, but I’m working even harder to stay WWE champion and establish my legacy. I just surpassed Roman Reigns and even AJ Styles (in terms of) their length of reign. I’ve had the WWE championship longer than those guys.
“I want to be that flag bearer that is John Cena. He’s a global superstar, he’s crossed over into films. I want to do the same. I can see myself playing the villain.
“Every day is a challenge. It’s not easy being a WWE Superstar. I use those challenges as motivation. I get asked ‘Do you still get butterflies?’ Before every single match. But as soon as that music hits, I come out of that curtain, it’s all confidence and that’s the way I have to be.
“Bret Hart was my idol growing up and he’s actually my good friend now. We text back and forth. It’s amazing how growing up you see these larger than life characters like they’re superheroes. Bret Hart was my Superman, in a way. I wanted to grow up to be just like him and now we have a personal relationship. That’s very, very cool. It just goes to show you anything is possible, and that’s the message I want to the Indian youth. Right now you might come to the shows and cheer me on and someday you might be beating me for this very championship, just like I beat Randy Orton, someone I watched while I was still in high school.”
The interview also included Mahal’s thoughts on a potential match against Brock Lesnar, facing Kevin Owens on the tour, his upbringing and more. To check it out, visit The Indian Express.
Please credit PWPodcasts when using any part of this transcription.
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