12/9 WWE in New Delhi, India: Keller’s report on Triple H pinning Jinder Mahal in main event, plus full results

WWE LIVE EVENT RESULTS
DECEMBER 9, 2017
NEW DELHI, INDIA
RESULTS COURTESY TIMESNOWDIGITAL
MAIN EVENT REPORT BY WADE KELLER

(1) Finn Balor defeated Bray Wyatt.

(2) Jeet Rama & Kishan Rafter beat The Miztourage (Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel)

(3) Alexa Bliss beat Sasha Banks to retain the WWE Women’s Title.

(4) Jason Jordan beat Elias.

(5) The Shield (Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose) vs. Samoa Joe & Sheamus & Cesaro

(6) Enzo Amore beat Kalisto to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship

(7) Braun Strowman beat Kane via DQ.

(8) Triple H beat Jinder Mahal in roughly 20:00. There was a loud “Triple H” chant at the start (based on an unofficial video on YouTube of the full match). Mahal didn’t get a huge hometown babyface reaction, although he did get some cheers after shoving Triple H away and gesturing to the crowd after a lock-up in the opening seconds. Triple H got a bigger pop for a DX chop that followed seconds later. The crowd chanted “This is awesome!” as they locked up again. Mahal knocked Triple H down with a shoulder tackle, and Triple H then went into the crowd and security suddenly ran in for an apparent ruckus. It was tough to tell if it was an incident with a fan or just fans gathering around Triple H as he took a breather among the fans. He returned to the ringside seconds later and the ref began to count. Triple H eventually took it to Mahal in the ring with some punches and kicks in the corner, and then landed an elbow to the head. that led to the first cover of the match, which was a one count before Mahal kicked out.

Mahal rallied thereafter with a bodyslam and knee drop, followed by a strut which got a mixed reaction. He mounted Triple H in the corner and punched away at him. Hunter came out of there with an atomic drop. Mahal took Hunter down with a shoulder tackle and knee drop and then a basement dropkick. Then he settled into more mat holds. Several minutes later Triple H fought back with a clothesline. Both were slow to get up. Mahal eventually whipped Triple H into the corner, and Hunter flip-bumped to the floor Ric Flair-style. Hunter rolled into the ring and began selling his leg. Mahal applied a figure-four leglock, which he held for a long time. Hunter forced a break in the ropes and limped to ringside. Mahal went after him quickly and threw him back into the ring.

Mahal stalled on the ring apron and played to the crowd, so Triple H surprised him with a spinebuster mid-ring. When he went for a Pedigree, Mahal shoved him off and then kicked him in the face for the first near fall of the match. The kickout didn’t get much of a reaction; the fans didn’t buy it as a plausible finish. Mahal then went for his sleeper, but Hunter escaped and went for a Pedigree. Mahal escaped and went for his Khallas slam, but Hunter escaped and hit a Pedigree for a near fall that got crowd pop. Both were slow to get up.

Mahal rolled to the floor. That’s when the Singh brothers got in his face and Hunter threw them around at ringside. Mahal then threw Triple H into the ringside steps, then the ringside barrier, then the ring apron, and finally the ringpost. Hunter crawled into the ring, but could barely stand. Jinder played to the crowd as Hunter got to his feet, but Hunter side-stepped him as he charged. Jinder went shoulder-first into the ringpost. Hunter then gave him a Pedigree for the win, which got a pop.

Hunter called Jinder back to the ring afterward. Jinder returned, with the Singh Brothers. That’s when Triple H went into his speech about “coming here since 1996.” He said, “India is in good hands with the Modern Day Maharaja!” He said it’s been a thrill and said “Namaste.” After he danced with the Singh Brothers and gave one of them a Pedigree, he shrugged as he left the ring. Then he posed on the stage as his music played.

Afterward, Mahal said he wanted to speak to his people. He spoke in Punjabi. He promised them next time WWE comes to India he will be the WWE Champion. That got a pop from the crowd.

Keller’s Analysis: This had the vibe of an early 1980s house show with a very long “rest hold” in the early minutes, but with an engaged crowd reacting to the test of strength and eventual shoulder tackles afterward. This wouldn’t have worked at all as a TV match in the U.S. or a PPV main event – it’d be up for one of the worst high-profile matches of the year, actually (if you don’t count Tim Storm’s NWA Title defenses, that is). But for the setting, it worked well enough. It was funny to hear the India fans, during formal ring introductions chanting “One fall!” after the ring announcer said “One fall!” As for Triple H winning, this is par for the course with him. The given attitude with him is that he’s the bigger star, and this is a big moment for him to add to his scrapbook of Big Moments that can be featured in his proverbial coffee table book of big career achievements – headlining in India and beating their hometown hero. It’s also one of those Triple H Moments where people just laugh at how shameless Triple H is at promoting his character, even in virtual retirement. Wouldn’t Mahal beating Triple H have meant more for India in the short-run and long-run?… Nearly two years ago, in January 2016, WWE sold out two shows, which was the first time they were there in over 12 years. This year, they booked two shows, but ended up canceling one after ticket sales were sluggish. They ended up with a good crowd, but nothing close to a sellout with under 10,000 estimated. So with the push of Jinder Mahal, they actually drew worse, so the entire Jinder Mahal experiment didn’t even lead to increased support for WWE in the country they’ve sacrificed a lot in the U.S. over the last six months to try to break into.

Send results and news tips to pwtorch@pwtorch.com. We are always looking for correspondent reports from our readers when they attend live events of any pro wrestling event. 

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