Tiger Raj Singh
Encyclopedia
Yuvraj "Raj" Dhesi better known by his ring name
Tiger Raj Singh, is a Canadian professional wrestler
signed to WWE, competing on their SmackDown brand under the ring name Jinder Mahal.
at the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo. In Canada's Stampede Wrestling
, After working for a time with Hybrid Wrestling Coalition (HWC), Dhesi teamed with his cousin Gama Singh, Jr.
, as The Karachi Vice, and Sikh n' Destroy. In March 2005, the team won the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship
, holding it for eight months. They won the title for a second time in December of that year, holding it until November of the following year. He also worked for the Prairie Wrestling Alliance
, where he was the PWA Champion from 2008 until January 2010, and also a three time tag team champion. Dhesi also competed for Great North Wrestling (GNW), where he feuded
with such wrestlers as Samoa Joe
and Hannibal.
In December 2009, he traveled to Tampa, Florida
, to try out for WWE's developmental promotion
Florida Championship Wrestling
(FCW). At the try out Steve Keirn
, Pat Patterson and Mike Rotunda
saw him wrestle but Dhesi thinks that what sold him to the WWE was his ability to speak Punjabi and his authentic costume like his turban. He remembers that, "I think they needed an Indian guy, they were looking for one."
. After the match, Khali turned on his brother Ranjin before leaving with Jinder, thus forming an alliance between the two and turning Khali heel
in the process. On the September 5th edition of Raw, he suffered his first loss, when he and The Great Khali lost to WWE Tag Team Champions Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston
in a non-title match. In a rematch on Smackdown, they lost again to Kingston and Bourne, when Khali pushed Mahal, after he was slapped by Mahal. Kofi Kingston hit a Trouble in Paradise
on Mahal thus turning Khali into a face once again. On the September 23, 2011 edition of SmackDown, Khali defeated Mahal in a singles match, thus suffering his first loss in a singles match.
Mahal did a promo on the October 3 edition of Raw only to be confronted by a returning Santino Marella, which Marella later defeated him in a match. On the October 7th edition of Smackdown, Mahal was defeated by Ezekiel Jackson in a singles match. On the October 14 tapings of SmackDown, Mahal came third place in a 41-man battle royal
- the biggest in WWE history - only to be eliminated by the eventual winner Randy Orton
. On the November 11, 2011 edition of SmackDown, Mahal was defeated by Ted DiBiase
. then He returned to winning track as he defeated Trent Barreta on November 24 edition of Superstars
, English
and Hindi. He is the nephew of wrestler Gama Singh, and has a degree in communications and culture from the University of Calgary
.
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Tiger Raj Singh, is a Canadian professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
signed to WWE, competing on their SmackDown brand under the ring name Jinder Mahal.
Professional wrestling career
While most Calgary wrestlers train at the infamous Dungeon, Dhesi began his wrestling career at the Martial Arts Fitness Center in Calgary, Alberta training with former WWE superstar "Razor" Rick Titan and Premier Martial Arts Wrestling (PMW) working as Raj "The Future" Dhesi. He then went on to train with "Champagne" Jerry Morrow and Bad News AllenAllen Coage
Allen James Coage was an American professional wrestler with the WWF and Stampede Wrestling among many other companies, better known by his ring names Bad News Brown and Bad News Allen. He was also the 1976 Olympic bronze medal winner in judo, in the heavyweight division...
at the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo. In Canada's Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
, After working for a time with Hybrid Wrestling Coalition (HWC), Dhesi teamed with his cousin Gama Singh, Jr.
Gadowar Singh Sahota
Gadowar Singh Sahota is a professional wrestler known as Gama Singh. Sahota eventually wound up in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Calgary. Sahota worked Kuwait, Dubai, Oman, Australia, and Hawaii for Vince McMahon and the WWF from 1980-86...
, as The Karachi Vice, and Sikh n' Destroy. In March 2005, the team won the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship
Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship
The Stampede International Tag Team Championship is the main tag-team title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. It was created in 1958 as the NWA International Tag-Team Championship...
, holding it for eight months. They won the title for a second time in December of that year, holding it until November of the following year. He also worked for the Prairie Wrestling Alliance
Prairie Wrestling Alliance
The Prairie Wrestling Alliance is an independent wrestling promotion based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, since 2001. The PWA is owned, operated, and promoted by Kurt Sorochan and Don Ferguson. Its head booker is Lance Storm.-History:...
, where he was the PWA Champion from 2008 until January 2010, and also a three time tag team champion. Dhesi also competed for Great North Wrestling (GNW), where he feuded
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with such wrestlers as Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
and Hannibal.
In December 2009, he traveled to Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, to try out for WWE's developmental promotion
Farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
Florida Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling
Championship Wrestling from Florida was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as Florida Championship Wrestling...
(FCW). At the try out Steve Keirn
Steve Keirn
Stephen "Steve" Paul Keirn is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for being part of the tag team The Fabulous Ones, with Stan Lane, and later for a run in the World Wrestling Federation as Skinner, a gimmick that portrayed him as a tobacco spitting alligator hunter from...
, Pat Patterson and Mike Rotunda
Mike Rotunda
Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R...
saw him wrestle but Dhesi thinks that what sold him to the WWE was his ability to speak Punjabi and his authentic costume like his turban. He remembers that, "I think they needed an Indian guy, they were looking for one."
Florida Championship Wrestling (2010–2011)
In early 2010, he was signed to a developmental contract with FCW. Dhesi wrestled his final match for GNW, a victory over McCully, on February 27.Storyline with the Great Khali (2011)
Jinder Mahal made his televised WWE debut on the April 29, 2011 airing of Smackdown, greeting fellow Indian superstar The Great Khali and his brother, Ranjin Singh backstage. During the segment, Mahal spoke in Punjabi that he was really happy and excited that Khali and Ranjin were there. On their part, both of them were happy too. The next week, Mahal, unimpressed by how Khali and Singh have been partaking in childish activities instead of winning matches, confronted Singh about his mismanagement of Khali. Mahal interrupted a Khali Kiss Cam segment the following week, slapping Khali twice to no response from the giant. On May 20, Mahal interrupted The Great Khali's match against Jey Uso. Khali left the ring to confront Mahal. Mahal slapped Khali again and gave him another lecture. Khali reentered the ring at the count of seven and finished off Jey Uso, taking out Jimmy Uso after the match much to Mahal's pleasure. On the May 27 edition of SmackDown, Ranjin accompanied Khali to the ring, only to be defeated by KaneKane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
. After the match, Khali turned on his brother Ranjin before leaving with Jinder, thus forming an alliance between the two and turning Khali heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
in the process. On the September 5th edition of Raw, he suffered his first loss, when he and The Great Khali lost to WWE Tag Team Champions Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston
Kofi Kingston
Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah , is a Ghanaian American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Kofi Kingston. He is currently signed to WWE and works on its Raw brand where he is one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions with Evan Bourne as Air Boom...
in a non-title match. In a rematch on Smackdown, they lost again to Kingston and Bourne, when Khali pushed Mahal, after he was slapped by Mahal. Kofi Kingston hit a Trouble in Paradise
540 kick
In martial arts and tricking, the 540 kick, also known as inside turning kick, jump inside kick, tornado kick and Xuanfengjiao , is a jump kick move...
on Mahal thus turning Khali into a face once again. On the September 23, 2011 edition of SmackDown, Khali defeated Mahal in a singles match, thus suffering his first loss in a singles match.
NXT, SmackDown & singles competition (2011-present)
On the September 27, 2011 episode of NXT, Mahal defeated Yoshi Tatsu, now with a new look, once again after Tatsu missed a diving spin heel kick and Mahal nails a full nelson slam on Tatsu. He then said in an interview that he doesn't need The Great Khali or anyone, and that he is all that matters as of now.Mahal did a promo on the October 3 edition of Raw only to be confronted by a returning Santino Marella, which Marella later defeated him in a match. On the October 7th edition of Smackdown, Mahal was defeated by Ezekiel Jackson in a singles match. On the October 14 tapings of SmackDown, Mahal came third place in a 41-man battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
- the biggest in WWE history - only to be eliminated by the eventual winner Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
. On the November 11, 2011 edition of SmackDown, Mahal was defeated by Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase, Jr.
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor signed with WWE, where he appears on its SmackDown brand...
. then He returned to winning track as he defeated Trent Barreta on November 24 edition of Superstars
Personal life
Dhesi is of Punjabi Sikh Indian descent and speaks PunjabiPunjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Hindi. He is the nephew of wrestler Gama Singh, and has a degree in communications and culture from the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Sands of Time (Full nelson slam) - WWE
- Karachi Valley Driver (Death Valley driver) – FCWFlorida Championship WrestlingChampionship Wrestling from Florida was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as Florida Championship Wrestling...
- Sands of Time (Fireman's carry double knee gutbuster) – FCW
- Camel clutch – WWE
- Signature moves
- Butterfly suplex
- High knee
- Knee drop
- Knee lift
- Wrestlers managedManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- The Great Khali
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "The (Self-proclaimed) Maharaja of the WWE"
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Main Yash Hun" by Jim Johnson (WWE; 2011 – Present)
Championships and accomplishments
- Prairie Wrestling AlliancePrairie Wrestling AllianceThe Prairie Wrestling Alliance is an independent wrestling promotion based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, since 2001. The PWA is owned, operated, and promoted by Kurt Sorochan and Don Ferguson. Its head booker is Lance Storm.-History:...
- PWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #336 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2011
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team ChampionshipStampede Wrestling International Tag Team ChampionshipThe Stampede International Tag Team Championship is the main tag-team title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. It was created in 1958 as the NWA International Tag-Team Championship...
(2 times) – with Gama Singh, Jr.Gadowar Singh SahotaGadowar Singh Sahota is a professional wrestler known as Gama Singh. Sahota eventually wound up in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Calgary. Sahota worked Kuwait, Dubai, Oman, Australia, and Hawaii for Vince McMahon and the WWF from 1980-86...
- Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship