CALGARY — For Raj Dhesi, the end of his time in WWE was the beginning of a new outlook on life. As we sat down to talk about life, and catch up after last seeing each other in person almost 20 years ago, the man across from me was observantly happy, at ease, and excited at the same time.
Sitting together at the commentary position for that night’s Dungeon Wrestling show, we prepared to talk about the past, and future, but Dhesi was noticeably distracted by his surroundings.
Dungeon Wrestling, the new generation of Stampede Wrestling, traditionally runs in Calgary’s Victoria Pavilion. Dallas Hart, the son of Bret “Hitman” Hart, is the promoter, and his father helps with matchmaking and offers advice to any wrestler seeking it. While the occasional wrestling show has taken place in this historic venue, few have had the credibility since the 2006 version of Stampede, or even the original run of Stampede Wrestling as Dungeon does. That history, as well as what it means to be returning to his home town of Calgary, had Dhesi scanning the room as we spoke.
“This is my first time wrestling in the Pavilion. Obviously, I know all about the history of this business, the history of Stampede Wrestling, the history of this building,” he said on my radio show, McGuire on Wrestling. “Stampede Wrestling was taped here every week. All the infamous matches are all from here in the Pavilion. A memory that sticks out is Bad News Allen and he gave the piledriver to… [Archie Gouldie and his ‘son’]. The promo after that and the commission shutting down wrestling in Calgary – they had to go to the [indigenous] reserve to wrestle … just so much history here in Calgary.”
“It’s incredible – and all of that history, most of it is in this very building here. When I walked in, just looking around, looking at the rafters and just seeing the ring in the center of this building…” Dhesi took a moment to reminisce about the stipulations that would be made famous in Stampede Wrestling. “I believe the first ever ladder match was in this building.”
Dhesi is correct. In 1972, “Cowboy” Dan Kroffat and Tor Kamata would battle for a bundle of cash suspended over the ring. Years later, Bret Hart would face Bad News Allen before headed to the WWF, where the match would be demonstrated between Hart and Shawn Michaels several years later. Hart had hoped to do the match at a major event, but ultimately, the match made its WrestleMania debut in Madison Square Garden. That WrestleMania X match would see Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon battle for the Intercontinental Championship – which Razor would be victorious.
This was more than just a chance to wrestle in a special building though. For Dhesi, this was a chance to come home.
“I started my career here in Calgary, but Alberta is really where I started training. My first experiences in wrestling are here from Alberta,” Dhesi said, sitting in a hoodie, looking at the ring in front of us. “I have so many fond memories. A lot of the guys that you see here, I started training with them. And even when I was in WWE, I kept tabs of everything that’s going on in the Alberta scene, all the young talent that are coming in, all the new promotions, everything.”
It’s no secret that professional wrestling at all levels is thriving more than it has in decades – perhaps more now than in any recent history. Alberta wrestling fans have benefited from this resurgence. “Alberta was historically a hotbed for wrestling, and it is again now,” Dhesi explained as the conversation turns to why he made the move to walk away from his position in WWE earlier this year.
Dhesi wanted to return to the indies and see what he could do in the scene while still in his best years.
He gained international fame under the name Jinder Mahal in WWE. While originally being brought in as a menacing heel, Raj would be saddled in the comedic trio with Drew McIntyre and Heath Slater in 3MB. Dhesi and McIntyre would be released from the company in 2014. Following the release, Dhesi would be spotted sporadically on independent shows, and rumors circulated that he was quitting the business for good.
Instead, Raj found motivation in the indies, and would go through a physical transformation that would see him come back in stellar shape, and with a renewed push in WWE.
Along with the Bollywood Boyz, re-named the Singh Brothers, flanking him in WWE, Mahal would portray the stereotypical “foreign menace”, often talking down to fans and proclaiming superiority. While the role seemed like a solid mid-card feature, Dhesi would shock the world, defeating Randy Orton for the WWE Championship in 2017. The victory had many of his fans celebrating, while some critics said it was purely a move to boost interest for an upcoming WWE event in India. Dhesi, rightfully, dismisses those claims.
“WWE does tours all over the world, and they make more money in a single show in the USA than they do for a show in India, a lot more. People can say what they want, they can’t take away from my accomplishments.”
They are accomplishments that Dhesi knows he worked hard for.
“If it wasn’t for getting released and having that transformation and getting that confidence, I would never have been champion,” he said. “That was my first championship in WWE. It was having the shift in my mindset, in my training, in my dieting, and really dedicating myself to the business 100%. If I didn’t do that, I would not have been WWE Champion.”
Now choosing his own schedule, a wedding on the way to his fiancé Priya, and wanting to give back to the wrestling business, Dhesi’s goals are clear – to continue with his career, his way, completely unhindered.
To hear the entire conversation, check out the latest episode of McGuire on Wrestling now wherever you get your podcasts, or follow the link/embedded player below!
