It is not everyday that some of WWE’s biggest names are packed into a single room, free to speak their minds to the media in India. This rare occasion unfolded on September 8 in Hyderabad, hours ahead of WWE Superstar Spectacle, the company’s first live event in India in almost six years, at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium. Organised by Sony Sports Network, the official home of WWE content in India, everyone from Drew McIntyre to Imperium, from Natalya to Indus Sher, interacted with the press gathered at one of Hyderabad’s luxury hotels. My Kolkata was there to bring you the highlights.
John Cena believes Roman Reigns is now ahead of him in the GOAT race
WWEEven though he did not take questions for nearly as much time as his colleagues, John Cena showed up momentarily at the media scrum to give two headlines. First, he expressed his joy at being a part of the “monumental moment” that was Superstar Spectacle. Second, to the effect of raising many an eyebrow, he called the reigning undisputed WWE Universal champion, Roman Reigns, “the greatest of all time”.
I want wrestling to be more democratised in India, so more wrestlers can make it big from different corners of the country: Veer Mahaan
Indus Sher have continued the Indian tradition in WWE begun by the Great Khali
WWEBefore the limelight was drawn to Cena, it was the Indian duo of Veer Mahaan and Sanga (together making up Indus Sher) who got the conversation underway. “It can’t get better than coming back home,” echoed the pair, with Veer adding how “I want wrestling to be more democratised in India, so that more wrestlers can make it big from different corners of the country.” On the inevitable question of competing in WWE versus portraying Bheem in the 2013-14 TV version of Mahabharat, Sanga said, “Both are challenging in their own ways. It takes longer to get into a character like Bheem. On the other hand, there are no cuts in WWE.”
Jinder Mahal became the first wrestler of Indian descent to become WWE champion in 2017
WWEJinder Mahal followed suit, touching upon how he has “become more stoic of late” to help manage Indus Sher. “In the past, I’ve let emotions get the better of me. I don’t want to do that anymore, since I’m not just thinking for myself these days, but I’m also thinking for Indus Sher.” The last time WWE came to India, Jinder, former WWE champion, took on Triple H, currently the Chief Content Officer of the company. “It was an awesome moment with an incredible atmosphere [in Delhi]. The fact that it was one of Triple H’s last-ever matches made it even more special. Even today, it ranks among the best moments of my life,” recollected Jinder on going toe-to-toe with The Game.
Getting coached by the Undertaker was scary, but also the best feeling in the world: Shanky
Shanky has been off WWE television for a while but is putting in the hours at the company’s Performance Centre
WWEAnother Indian talent aspiring to emulate Jinder’s success is the seven-foot Shanky, who spoke highly of Jinder and how the latter “took care of me as a younger brother when I first broke through into WWE.” Out of on-screen action for a while, Shanky shed light on the kind of training he is currently undergoing at WWE’s Performance Centre (PC), where he is “working on my body and skills and trying to discover myself”. Acknowledging the importance of nutrition for a wrestler, Shanky praised the WWE coaches he is collaborating with in the US, one of whom happens to be his childhood hero, the Undertaker. “Getting coached by the Undertaker at the PC was scary, but also the best feeling in the world. I had tears the first day I saw him training us… this is a legend I grew up watching. He gave us a lot of valuable advice on body language and facial expressions apart from in-ring wrestling wisdom,” described Shanky, who said that he had no complaints with the financial rewards of competing in WWE. Asked to advise youngsters who want to become professional wrestlers, Shanky doubled down on the need to have a good educational base. “At 15 or 16, please study. Get your education in place and work on your English. That’s something you’ll need a lot in pro wrestling, especially in WWE.”
‘Never say never’ when it comes to Bollywood: Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre has been one of WWE’s most recognisable performers since debuting on the main roster in 2007
WWETaking the India thread forward was Drew McIntyre, who believes that the “potential of Indian wrestlers is amazing”. Properly introduced to Indian culture by Jinder and the Great Khali during car rides across the US, McIntyre, a big cricket fan, lamented not being able to return to India later this year for the ICC men’s 50-over World Cup. On a future Bollywood debut, McIntyre, who has done a few commercials alongside John Abraham, said, “Never say never… I’ve been shooting in Budapest for an upcoming film, but as for Bollywood, I’ll be open to opportunities as and when they arise.” For McIntyre, the last few weeks have been especially tough, given how close he was to one of WWE’s most promising performers, Bray Wyatt, who passed away last month. “It’s up to all of us, the wrestlers as well as the fans, to keep Bray alive in our hearts,” said McIntyre, who picked Sheamus as the one he has the best in-ring chemistry with. On the topic of free agent CM Punk possibly coming back to WWE, McIntyre remained tight-lipped, though he was more vocal about insisting that his own future lay with WWE. As for career highlights, McIntyre, unsurprisingly, chose the first of his two reigns as WWE champion as his favourite: “During those times [when Covid19 was raging], my job was to make people smile for a couple of hours, and I’m proud of what I did.”
I’m the greatest Intercontinental Champion in history: Gunther
Ludwig Kaiser (left) and Gunther make up two-thirds of Imperium, arguably WWE’s most dominant stable right now
WWEThree others who can be quite proud of what they have been up to are Imperium, the trio of Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci from the Continent. While Gunther brushed aside comparisons to other legendary WWE stables like Demolition, Legacy and The Shield, Kaiser welcomed the parallels, saying, “Our quality speaks for itself, but we’re also very different from what’s come before us.” Gunther, who recently became the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion in history, breaking the 35-year-old record of the Honky Tonk Man, was less reserved when talking about his individual accomplishments. “Do I believe I’m the greatest Intercontinental Champion in history? Definitely! At the same time, I’m still building my career and I’m very happy with how I’ve made this title more prominent. I don’t plan on losing the title anytime soon, but I’m also looking forward to going into next year’s Royal Rumble (he was the runner-up in 2023) as one of the favourites to headline WrestleMania.”
I still have so much to do, so much to prove: Natalya
Natalya(Neidhart) has her roots in the famous Hart family that has produced talents like Bret and Owen Hart
WWELastly, speaking to journalists ahead of her clash with Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship, future Hall of Fame candidate, Natalya (Neidhart), dialled back to the moment when the women’s division got its turning point. “It was the first NXT Takeover event in 2014 and I was fighting Charlotte Flair. It was the first time in my career that I wasn’t given a time limit. Triple H came up to me and said, ‘just go out there and do your match. Don’t worry about the time.’ It allowed Charlotte and me to show the world what the women’s division was capable of.” At 41, Natalya acknowledged that she is “in the best shape of my life, having lost 25 pounds”. She cited Rey Mysterio, 48, as an inspiration, before reminding herself and the WWE Universe that “I still have so much to do, so much to prove.”
