John Cena Challenging Jinder Mahal Can Be WWE's New Hulk Hogan vs. Iron Sheik

WWE has gone all-in on Jinder Mahal, dubbed the modern-day Maharaja. Unlikely WWE Championship victory? Check. Stable of WWE Superstars to raise his profile? Check. Culturally fulfilling world championship celebration? Check. Inevitable interruption of said world championship celebration? 

Nope. 

When I say WWE is going all-in on Mahal, I mean all the way in. Like deep-sea diving proportions. Though many members of WWE's older, male demographic—who tend to rally around underdogs—are happy to see a new face holding its its most prestigious title, Mahal's anti-American sentiments and strength in numbers will lead to even the hippest fans settling into giving him a traditional heel reaction. 

Mahal is doing everything right—from getting in the best shape of his career to returning with a positive, motivated attitude and being in the right place at the right time. It's easy to search for every possible excuse as to why a man who was recently involved in a lighthearted feud with Rob Gronkowski is now the most important person on SmackDown Live, but at the end of the day, he worked hard and WWE is building around him as a result. 

Mahal's suit-wearing, cheat-to-win bona fides make him an evolved version of the Iron Sheik, who made his imprint as one of the most memorable villain prototypes in any genre of entertainment. Sheik served as a foil for Hulk Hogan, who helped rocket WWE to mainstream relevance during the 1980s. And as pro wrestling eras have come and gone to varying degrees of success, the legendary career of John Cena harkens back to that of the cookie-cutter bona fides of Hogan. 

Cena, who is away filming big studio movies as his second foot moves ever so closely toward the door, is being advertised by the Talking Stick Resort Arena (h/t Wrestling Inc) for a July 4 return to SmackDown Live.

The clash of Cena's patriotic pride and Mahal's pre-emptive protests against American xenophobia give way to the perfect storm for Cena's return feud. Mahal can easily become the Iron Sheik to Cena's Hulk Hogan, but for entirely different reasons than America versus the enemy. This feud could be much more nuanced than 'us vs. them," making it much more digestible for the overly opinionated millennial generation.

Imagine Cena singing the praises of America's inclusion and opportunity—using Mahal himself as an example of the American Dream—while Mahal mocks Cena's idealistic view of a country with racial tensions that are as high as ever. 

Given the eloquence of Cena and Mahal compared to the screaming-mad promos of 80s, Cena vs. Mahal would be like the Rock N' Wrestling Era if it aired on NPR. 

As Mahal gets more comfortable with his complicated role as a heel world champion in 2017, his success will be graded directly on how much fans want to see somebody stop him. His character is intent on making WWE fans feel like they're part of a new regime. Despite the dancers and decorations this past Tuesday, this isn't a celebration—it's a hostile takeover. No more presidents. No more world champions or even general managers.

Just one Maharaja.

Cena challenging Mahal for the WWE Championship has the potential of a blockbuster matchup fit for SummerSlam. It's that rare type of feud that would add relevance to who comes out as the victor. If done correctly, this would be more than just a wrestling match but rather a battle of whose ideals are superior. 

Cena is on his way back, and WWE—not to mention SmackDown Live—can no longer take him for granted. Cena may forever be loyal to WWE from a sentimental standpoint, but his overwhelming success in Hollywood has already forced him into a part-time role. It's important for WWE to do something special that helps its full-time stars with however many brief return stints Cena has left. 

On SmackDown Live, there is no better choice than Mahal. 

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