10 Worst WWE Booking Decisions Of 2017 (So Far)
2. Jinder Mahal Wins The WWE Championship
SmackDown’s confusing booking has been the source of much discussion this year, with Jinder Mahal’s WWE Championship win often central to the debate. ‘The Modern Day Maharaja’ went from career-long enhancement talent to WWE Champion with unparalleled quickness, and the consequences have been entirely negative.
Mahal isn’t terrible; he’s just deeply mediocre. He’s an unengaging talker with a derivative anti-USA, pro-India gimmick, and while he worked with increased aggression and intensity at Money In The Bank, he offers little excitement between the ropes. He’s a fine guy to have around in a preliminary role, but he’s not cut out to hold WWE’s supposed "top prize", regardless of the incremental improvements he has made in recent weeks.
The complete lack of build is the biggest issue. Jinder’s ascension came completely out of nowhere. One week, he was losing to Mojo Rawley in three minutes, and the next, he was number one contender. Had his coronation come at the end of a well booked journey to the top, perhaps it wouldn’t have been so heavily rejected, but the form it took resulted in the worst kind of surprising. It felt jarring rather and exciting, and SD is still reeling from it.