Jinder Mahal has looked back on one of the biggest wins of his career, revealing that his WrestleMania 34 United States Championship victory came together at the last minute.
Speaking on TMZ Inside The Ring, the former champion detailed how the fatal four-way bout took shape. According to Mahal, the match was originally booked as a one-on-one contest between Randy Orton and Bobby Roode before he found his way into the mix.
“That match actually came to fruition very late. It was originally supposed to be Randy versus Bobby Roode one-on-one for the United States Championship. Somehow I weaseled my way into that match,” Mahal said.
He explained that Orton’s physical condition played a role in the decision. “I believe it was Randy, because he was dealing with some back or some knee issues, just to kind of make it easier on him, they added me to the match,” Mahal said. Rusev, who had become wildly popular with the “Rusev Day” movement, was then added as well.
“It made a ton of sense to put him in the match too. He needed a WrestleMania match himself, because when you’re that over, you want that shot of the crowd going crazy, as well as the merchandise.”
Despite Rusev being the crowd favorite, it was Mahal who walked out with the title, an outcome few saw coming. “Rusev was the heavy, heavy favorite. I don’t think anybody expected me to win,” he said. Mahal added that he only learned of the plan the day of the event. “I actually found out that I was going to win that day.”
Even then, Mahal knew nothing was guaranteed until the bell rang, noting how often plans shift at the last second in WWE. “When you hear that you’re going to go over, you’re going to win a title or a match, you don’t believe it until it actually happens, because things change last minute all the time,” he said. “You could be in Gorilla and Vince changes his mind. I’ve actually been in a match, and Vince changed his mind about who’s gonna go over through the referee.”
