10 WWE Disasters That Saved Themselves
8. Jinder Mahal
A nothing performer before his WWE release in 2014, Jinder Mahal's most memorable period came as a member of 3MB. That should say it all. They were an entertaining trio, but jobbers, and their own highlight came while acting as secondaries to Hornswoggle in his WeeLC feud with El Torito.
Mahal was let go from the promotion on the same day as stablemate Drew McIntyre in June 2014. While the Scot would eventually make his way back to WWE after a stellar indie run, Jinder was the opposite. He barely got booked at all. In 2015, he worked just 25 indie matches and only six more in 2016's first half before WWE scooped him back up, reintroducing Mahal through a 14-second squash of another ex-3MB'er - Heath Slater.
So, what prompted Vince McMahon to reacquire Jinder after such a dismal indie run? Those gains, baby.
Mahal got himself in phenomenal, ripped shape in his time away from the company. Suddenly, he was a chiselled Adonis, and it's hard to imagine this wasn't a factor in his rapid ascension from undercard goober to WWE Champion, which provided one of 2017's biggest stories.
Jinder fell back down the card as soon as he lost the bet, but he's probably set for life financially.