10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About Jinder Mahal

6. Mahal's NXT Run Was Treated Like A Demotion

Seth Rollins Jinder Mahal
WWE.com

NXT may well be the apple of the hardcore wrestling fan's eye nowadays, but that wasn't always the case. Back when the brand was launched as WWE's new developmental system in June, 2012, it simply replaced FCW as the new breeding ground for talent. It was also a place those struggling on the main roster could seek solace.

Jinder Mahal was one of those men, and he'd even make it to the final of a Gold Rush Tournament designed to crown the first ever NXT Champion. There, Mahal did the honours for none other than Seth Rollins, proving that he was enhancement talent even in the farm league. There's no getting away from that, he was.

WWE can try to dress a main roster guy featuring mainly in NXT up all they want, the truth is that Mahal had no place on shows like Raw and SmackDown in 2012. That was just over one year into his first run too, so no wonder the guy ended up disenfranchised by life in the promotion. He was an also-ran going nowhere, NXT or not.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.