It has been shown that WWE is extremely well-liked in India. WWE is aware that the country’s enormous population will help the business there expand and bring in a lot of money.
WWE is also aware that keeping this sport alive in India will help them in their discussions with state gambling regulators in Michigan, Indiana, and Colorado to legalize betting on scripted match results. For now, there is not many gambling operators that have WWE on their offers, and even those that have, such as BetUS, are not legal in the United States, regardless of the fact that they belong to a group of the best WWE betting sites in 2023 on the link.
So, after the United States, India is the nation who cares about WWE the most. Here are some facts that back up these claims:
- Having 335 million unique TV viewers each year, India now has the largest fan base for WWE outside of the United States.
- Even more than the United States, India is WWE’s largest market when it comes to Facebook interaction and YouTube viewing.
- According to research by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Ernst & Young (EY), wrestling overtook cricket as the sport that Indians watched on national television the most in 2018, with a significant increase.
WWE said that 56 million Indians watched WrestleMania in 2022 in their Quarterly Report for the First Quarter of that year. The figure demonstrated the American professional wrestling promotion’s extraordinary regional reach.
WWE first introduced WWE NOW INDIA in 2019. The organization is using its top Superstars, like Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Becky Lynch, etc., to wish joyful holidays like Holi and Independence Day to the people of India. With South Indian audiences in mind, WWE is now available in India in two more languages apart from Hindi: Tamil and Telugu.
It Is Disappointing That There Are Not Many Indian WWE Superstars
Given that, as we previously stated, India accounts for the bulk of WWE’s international fan base, it should supply more Superstars to the organization. Yet, only a few Indian WWE Superstars have been able to distinguish themselves from the rest and win championships.
WWE Superstars from India should be given much more merit. They have only existed for the last 17 years, yes, but even in that short time, the number of WWE Superstars from India can be tallied on two hands. Of those, only one has achieved success.
So, let us discuss the unfortunate absence of Indian WWE Superstars and the reasons for that.
Language Barrier and Poor Wrestling as WWE’s Main Arguments
The Great Khali was the first major WWE Superstar from India. He was billed to look like a monster and defeated The Undertaker in his debut match before going on to defeat Rey Mysterio, Batista, Kane, Big Show, and many other top WWE Superstars “of the day” in subsequent matches. He was the first Indian to triumph in a fight royal for the World Heavyweight Championship. Younger Indians saw him and believed that if The Great Khali could succeed, so could they.
A few of them have worked for WWE over the past ten years, including Jinder Mahal, an Indian-born jobber who was elevated to champion status in 2018 as a result of WWE’s successful foray into the Indian market. Jinder Mahal rose to prominence as the pride of India, inspiring the likes of Veer Mahaan, Sanga, and Shanky to follow in his footsteps. Today, only Jinder Mahal, Veer, and Sanga remain in the WWE and compete in NXT. This is really unfortunate since India needs to have more of a presence in WWE, especially on the main roster. There is a linguistic issue, which is the major organization’s “defense” made. The American spectators speak English, and the Indian WWE Superstars struggle to communicate in the language. Classes may be offered to these men in English there on the WWE PC.
They are not notable wrestlers, hence they cannot succeed in WWE, which is another defense that is used. The WWE PC, where they may receive training and direction, is the answer to this issue. Because the Indian fans would get impatient and WWE does not want to try the patience of its largest and most devoted fan base, there must be a sufficient amount of Indian WWE Superstars in 2024, just like there is for Japan, Australia, the UK, and all the other countries. The finest talent in the world is from India; given the right opportunity to flourish in WWE, they would not let Triple H and Shawn Michaels down.
WWE Conducting Tryouts in India
India is where WWE is holding tests right now. A recent rumor claims that there will be a development facility in India where up-and-coming Indian talent would receive exposure and adequate training, making it easier for them to get a foot in the WWE door. If true, it would be the largest development for Indians and provide a solution for the dearth of Indian WWE Superstars.
WWE places a lot of emphasis on Indian talent, and lately, we witnessed the promotion of Mahal, which proved to be a poor attempt since Mahal was promoted as a heel. As a result, even his Indian supporters began to despise him. WWE is getting ready to support further Indian Superstars, like as Rinku Singh, who recently made his NXT TV taping debut and whose costume epitomizes Indian culture.
Conclusion
WWE is watched by certain Indian fans who believe it to be authentic. Others watch it as a critic, while some watch it even though they are aware that it is a scripted show. They enjoy pro wrestling and watch it for whatever reason.
WWE, please, do not deny them that and introduce more Superstars from India!
