Jinder Mahal Makes the Perfect Heel WWE Champion After Win vs. Randy Orton

Jinder Mahal shocked the world in Chicago at WWE Backlash as he defeated Randy Orton for the WWE Championship in the main event.

Mahal's improbable, upstart run has now reached the highest of highs as the former afterthought, and member of 3MB, now holds the most prestigious championship in the company. And in an era where WWE often struggles to create truly despicable heels, Mahal's xenophobic rhetoric and anti-American taunts make him an ideal choice as a heel world champion. 

Mahal's seemingly out-of-nowhere rise to the top of WWE mirrors that of JBL's 2004 resurgence. Bradshaw was previously a tag team performer with a humble ceiling before breaking out as a singles heel. His gimmick, one that exploited his accumulation of wealth through his knowledge of Wall Street, made him instantly hatable. Bradshaw's WWE Championship win over Eddie Guerrero led to a year-long reign on SmackDown that established the career midcard performer as a main event star. 

Mahal now has similar potential as part of his own late-career surge. Mahal's me-against-the-world promos in both English and Punjabi—not to mention the accusations of xenophobia levied against fans—led to intense boos from the Allstate Arena. The mere mention of Mahal being announced from India created heel heat.  

And while there were the standard, Pavlovian "let's go, Jinder" chants by the contingent of fans who just want to see something new, Mahal will consistently garner the type of villainous reaction that has become far from a sure thing in today's WWE. 

At the moment, the idea of Mahal as WWE champion is still a shocking concept that has not yet settled in for many fans. How is the guy who once lost to El Torito a world champion?

But if WWE continues to allow Mahal to successfully defend the championship with help from the Singh Bros., he will check every box as a credible, yet unsavory, champion who needs to be stopped.   

Mahal's disrespect of the American fans makes him a tailor-made opponent for John Cena, whenever he decides to return. If WWE allows Mahal to stockpile wins as WWE champion, a possible match against Cena at SummerSlam would be one of the most captivating heels of the entire year. 

There is often a belief that if someone spends too much time as a midcarder, fans accept them in that role and will not take him seriously as a world champion. But in the last several weeks, WWE's concerted push of the Maharaja has created a new star with significant potential who has a clear path as WWE's next great heel. 

Alfred Konuwa is a Featured Columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report and Forbes. Like him on Facebook.