To say that Jinder Mahal’s WWE Championship reign has been uninspiring is an understatement. Despite decent matches with Orton, an underwhelming match against Shinsuke Nakamura and vapid promos have bogged down Mahal. Ever since he won the title in June, Jinder’s failed on multiple occasions to set the world on fire. This, though, is not his fault.
However, I believe that we are in the twilight days of his reign as champion. With some new faces entering the title picture, here are my predictions for the next three WWE Championship matches.
3. Shinsuke Nakamura v. Randy Orton v. Rusev v. Jinder Mahal
Something in the back of my mind tells me that Randy Orton v. Shinsuke Nakamura next week will not end well. Perhaps Rusev will interfere and cause a no-contest. There will be no clear winner, but since Mahal’s such a jackass, he’ll be forced to defend the title in a Fatal Four-Way Hell in a Cell match. After all, all three men have made clear that they intend to go after Mahal. Nakamura and Orton are facing each other next week for the number one contender’s spot, and Rusev straight up told Jinder that he was coming after the championship.
The addition of Rusev adds another piece to an already interesting combination. Together, Rusev, Orton, and Nakamura can mask any shortcomings in the ring Jinder might have. They can also make up for the rather pedestrian style Mahal wrestles by upping the excitement. Rusev is seriously underrated in the ring.
The inclusion of Rusev in the match will help both Mahal and the fresh-off-a-heel-turn Orton. By placing Rusev in the match, he can eat the pin in the match, allowing Nakamura to become the new WWE Champion. Mahal’s been weirdly protected, and Orton shouldn’t be eating pins this early into a heel turn. Both men can then claim that they deserve title shots against the new champion, simply by virtue of not being pinned or otherwise being involved in the match’s decision.
