SmackDown Live is being billed as “the land of opportunity” and tonight’s episode put that to the test when Jinder Mahal, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, Erick Rowan, Luke Harper and Mojo Rawley faced off in a Six Pack Challenge to become the number one contender for the WWE Championship.
In a match that was being billed as a chance of a lifetime, Jinder Mahal won the opportunity to face Randy Orton at next month’s WWE Backlash. It will be Mahal’s first ever WWE Championship opportunity.
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As with most multi-person matches in the WWE, the ring was generally cleared out for two competitors to exchange big spots while the other four lay outside the ring waiting for their moment. A series of amazing near falls eventually led to Sami and Jinder Mahal in the ring together with Zayn poised to hit the Helluva kick. As Sami attempted to run, he was held back by 205 Live stars, The Bollywood Boys, who apparently have turned heel.
There’s no more HINDERING @JinderMahal anymore, as he has become the NEW #1Contender to the #WWEChampionship! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/ygHaDfxkM0
— WWE (@WWE) April 19, 2017
After the bout, Mahal gave a fairly standard anti-American heel promo to the Louisville crowd, which brought out Randy Orton to let Jinder know an RKO was in store for him at Backlash.
We have to assume Mahal’s victory gives Orton a clear “heel” challenger as the reactions to his championship feud with Bray Wyatt has fizzled. have been meh at best since his feud with Bray Wyatt fizzled at WrestleMania.
Orton will face Wyatt in a House of Horrors match at WWE Payback on April 30th. As of this writing there has been no mention of Wyatt switching back to SmackDown if he recaptures the Championship, which leads us to believe Orton is all but certain to retain.
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