5 Biggest Winners & Losers From WWE Raw (August 1)

5. Winner: Jinder Mahal

When news of the 2016 Brand Split broke in late May, it was widely reported that WWE had reached-out to several former talents with a view to returning. Names like Kurt Angle and MVP were bandied around the internet, with fans getting excited at the prospect of some of their old favourites coming back to pad-out the post-Draft rosters, and help guide the company through the New Era.

The returns started materialising on SmackDown, when Rhyno showed-up to Gore Heath Slater out of his boots, and it was announced that former Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin was on his way back. The trend continued on Raw, when Jinder Mahal showed-up alongside his fellow “free agent” Heath Slater, only to kick his former all in the face and secure his own WWE contract seconds later.

Nobody was exactly clamouring to see Mahal return to a WWE ring. He never really progressed beyond lower-midcard level during his previous run with the company, and he’s neither the most exciting wrestler in the world nor a compelling microphone presence. Still, the fact that he’s been plucked from obscurity and thrust back into the WWE spotlight makes him a winner this week, even if it’s unclear where he goes from here.