Ex-WWE Star Jinder Mahal Recalls Feeling Disrespected By Vince McMahon Following Match With Randy Orton

The Punjabi Prison Match is considered one of the more problematic gimmick matches in WWE history. Its sheer mass made it a logistical nightmare to assemble and maneuver, and it was visually difficult for onlookers to follow, due to the cluttered interlacing of bars that made up the structure. Still, Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton did the best they could at Battleground 2017, going nearly 30 minutes in the main event. Given the effort of everyone involved, Mahal recently revealed on Maven Huffman's YouTube channel that he felt disrespected by Vince McMahon's actions after the match.

"It's a one-man audience," Mahal began, "basically we're all just wrestling for Vince. When me and Randy [and] Great Khali came back, the 'audience of one' wasn't there. He left. That was a little bit disrespectful. Even Randy was like, 'Was he upset?' And Michael [Hayes] was like, 'No. He just left.'"

There have been three Punjabi Prison matches in WWE history, with the first conceived as a showcase for The Great Khali. However, Khali was not medically cleared to wrestle at Great American Bash 2006. WWE answered by inserting the Big Show against The Undertaker, leaving two Americans to battle in a South Asian-inspired bout. The Great Khali's then-manager, Shawn Daivari, recalled a degree of confusion surrounding the Punjabi Prison, saying WWE was "just making up rules to create false finishes."

During his interview, Mahal shared more details about his relationship with Vince McMahon.

"Earlier in my career, I always avoided Vince. I was always afraid of him," he said. [But] during this time I got to work with him closely."

WWE released Jinder Mahal and two other talents in April of 2024. He now wrestles on the independent circuit as Raj Dhesi.