Did Jinder Mahal Just Initiate a WrestleMania Program with John Cena?

Despite being WWE Champion since May, Jinder Mahal rarely receives main event treatment. Perpetually outranked by Kevin Owens, Shane McMahon, and AJ Styles, Mahal and his Championship have felt secondary on Tuesday nights. However, Jinder isn’t just eyeing the main event of SmackDown but of WrestleMania.

In a Facebook live interview, Mahal was asked who he would like to face at WrestleMania 34. The Modern Day Majarajah not only answered but issued a challenge.

“At WrestleMania 34, I would like to face John Cena for my WWE Championship,” state the WWE Champion. “It could happen because I fully intend on being WWE Champion come to WrestleMania and even after WrestleMania. So, John Cena, let’s say this is an official challenge to you,” said Mahal.

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While it was a casual setting this feels like a scripted response. For Mahal to officially lay down a challenge to Cena, he would nearly need WWE permission to do so. Mahal and Cena have been loosely linked dating back to June. Rumors had them squaring off at Summerslam, but WWE chose to elevate Shinsuke Nakamura instead.

Cena is currently on hiatus from WWE as he films his Transformers spin-off. However, he’s believed to be coming back sometime in December. As the only free agent in WWE, Cena could easily flip back over to SmackDown to enter a Championship program with Mahal. But will he?

At the moment it looks like Mahal will be taking on Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series. Neither the WWE championship nor the Universal Championship will be on the line, so both men will be leaving with this trophies. AJ Styles is believed to be the favorite to become the number one contender for Mahal’s title, but nothing is close to being solidified.

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With no clear opponents, We can expect Mahal to stay champion at least to the Royal Rumble. In the final months before WrestleMania, titles often remain stationary and do no change hands, so the more we break this down the more it looks like Mahal will be holding the WWE Championship to WrestleMania 34.

Cena is due to a big match at ‘Mania after not having a true WrestleMania program for the past 2 mega shows. A fight with Mahal would be for his record-breaking 17th WWE Championship, a moment built for WrestleMania.

Given Mahal’s comments and the circumstances at play, we can label a Mahal vs. Cena WrestleMania 34 match as likely.