Let's journey back to the year 2006.
It was during that year, WWE signed a 7'1” freak of nature named
Dalip Singh to a pro wrestling contract. With all due respect to the
late Greg Korvas, Dalip was legitimately the world's largest
bodybuilder. He would then be known as The Great Khali and moved to
Smackdown after spending time in WWE's developmental territory –
Jody Hamilton's ill-fated Deep South Wrestling. Khali would tear
through many an opponent to eventually face The Undertaker. Khali's
nearly nine-year run saw feuds with John Cena over the WWE
championship, The Big Show, and a run as the World Heavyweight
champion.
During this time, the Indian market
remained an emerging global market. So much so that the company
would establish WWE India in 2011. The goals were simple establish a
presence in the emerging market, continue the company's expansion
along all lines of business, and increase revenue generated from
India across all platforms.
While they have never been on the same
level as WWE, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling had its eye on the
emerging market as well. The potential seen in the market and the
chance to take the TNA brand abroad inspired North America's
second-largest wrestling company to back a fed called Ring Ka King in
2011. India's Ring Ka King produced a season made up of 26 episodes
that aired in 2012. The product mirrored TNA a lot, even with
Jarrett serving as the leader of a powerful rulebreaking faction.
After the first season, rumor began to
spread that there would not be a second season. Those rumors appear
to be true as only one season of Ring Ka King has aired. One of the
good things that came from Ring Ka King for TNA was Mahabali Shera.
Shera would become the final RKK champion before its doors closed.
Shera would officially sign with TNA in 2014. Since then, Shera has
competed in the organization with mixed success.
Fast forward six years later. A lot
has changed when it comes to TNA. Those three letters have been
tossed out of the window. Jarrett has left and returned to the fold
of what is now known as IMPACT Wrestling. With the return of Jarrett
has come renewed enthusiasm about the product. It's no secret Jarrett has
plans to place IMPACT Wrestling on a grander stage. With this, he
has explored and re-established international relationships around
the globe.
The following is an excerpt from a
global press release from the company distributed on March 13th
of this year:
During the week, IMPACT Wrestling also reached agreement with its partners in India to begin taping in India. On May 30 and May 31, episodes of IMPACT Wrestling will be taped in Mumbai to be aired in the four weeks leading up to Slammiversary. Discussions are now underway with local sponsors and promotions to launch a new show featuring local talent in association with the IMPACT Wrestling roster to be filmed in India commencing as early as Q4 2017.
“We are excited to be in a position to bring our show to our fans in India,” said Ed Nordholm, president of IMPACT Wrestling. “This is an initial step in what we hope will become a regular part of our programming cycle, leading to live events in all of our key markets.”
By no means is this to undermine the
success of Jinder Mahal. I think it's incredible that he would
graduate from what amounted to a comedy trioka in 3MB to the WWE
champion. Still, IMPACT has been nothing short of great since
Jarrett's return Global Force Wrestling merging into the fold.
IMPACT has done all that it could do lately to beautifully bridge the
gap between its past and present while laying the groundwork for its
future. The payoff is the upcoming Slammiversary pay-per-view in
June. Through different means, IMPACT Wrestling is trying to
accomplish everything WWE sought to beginning in 2011 and all they
things fell short in doing with Ring Ka King. However, one of the
key elements of business is timing.
Mahal is a magnificent specimen. The
guy is ripped to shreds. He is much more athletically gifted than
Khali ever was. He is convincing without trying too hard to be so.
And considering the tweets coming from his fellow WWE Superstars, his
hard work deserves to be rewarded with a World title. Strangely
enough, his work's culmination happens almost two weeks before IMPACT
Wrestling begins taping shows in Mumbai. The aforementioned Shera is
still trying to figure things out after three years in a fed that has
finally remembered what it is. So what does it all boil down to?
An established global juggernaut with a
convincing new champion as its figurehead versus a rebranded
organization whose only tie to the market is a mid-card wrestler
whose still lost in the shuffle. Does IMPACT get lulled into taking
the familiar role of throwing subtle jabs WWE can't feel nor
acknowledge on its program? Does IMPACT have an ace up its sleeve?
Over the course of a month and reaching the pinnacle in one night,
WWE gave IMPACT's global expansion a gut punch it never saw coming.
Well played, machine. Well played.
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