Former WWE star Raj Dhesi, known then as Jinder Mahal, has discussed the pressures of his 170-day WWE Championship reign in 2017 during a recent interview.
Dhesi appeared on Busted Open Radio and described the experience as very stressful. He noted the intense pressure of being champion, saying that standing in Gorilla position created a high-stress situation like a pressure cooker.
He addressed misconceptions about his return to WWE, stating it was not planned to win the title. Dhesi explained he came back with Heath Slater after stopping drinking and refocusing his life, and was initially meant only to fill in for an injured Rusev against Randy Orton at Backlash.
Dhesi said a change with Vince McMahon led to his push after McMahon noticed his hard work. He contrasted that era with today's more predictable booking and emphasized the mental shift required to become champion.
