10 Reasons The WWE Title Is Meaningless In 2017
3. Jinder Mahal
And it's come to this.
With the title's legacy in tatters and even SmackDown Live!'s commentators haphazardly predicting easy victory for Randy Orton in the 'House of Horrors' rematch, his opponent for the first post-WrestleMania blue brand pay-per-view will be Jinder Mahal.
Victory in a six pack challenge over Sami Zayn, Luke Harper, Mojo Rawley, Erick Rowan and Dolph Ziggler propelled Mahal beyond the chasing pack just a week removed from losing two televised squashes and concussing Finn Balor live on Monday Night Raw.
With the big victory already in his back pocket, WWE will undoubtedly work backwards on the character as they usually do, but Jinder's sudden elevation may not just end with an RKO in May.
The precedent was set in 2004 (and on SmackDown no less), when Bradshaw was plucked from his position as a chubby Billy Gunn doppelgänger in a dated Acolytes unit and positioned against Eddie Guerrero for 'Latino Heat's WWE Title.
The shot came out of the blue with the new heel looking way out of his depth, and victory over Guerrero was considered a virtual impossibility. The shock of his win caused many to boycott SmackDown in disgust, but the reign carried on until JBL actually grew into the role. As another push in reverse, it's not out of the question to see a Mahal title win return Tuesday nights to those dark days.