Jinder Mahal believes WWE missed an opportunity by having Penta defeat Rey Fenix in the final of the Roman Reigns World Championship tournament.
Penta defeated his brother on Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, earning a World Heavyweight Championship match against Reigns in Mexico City on September 14.
During an appearance on Busted Open via WWE Radio (see video below), Mahal, now known as Raj Dhesi, acknowledged that Penta was the obvious choice to advance. However, he argued that Fenix would have benefited more from the victory.
“I can’t say that I’m surprised, but I am surprised with the result. Penta, who to me was the obvious choice to face Roman in Mexico City,” Mahal said. “I really believe it was a missed opportunity. Rey Fenix had more to gain from this.”
Mahal praised Fenix’s in-ring ability but said Penta currently has the stronger overall presentation.
“Rey is an incredible performer, wrestler, but Penta outclasses, and I mean this, this is a poor choice of words, beats him when it comes to performance, the character, the entrance,” he said.
Mahal added that the tournament could have been used to elevate Fenix’s presentation ahead of a major championship match.
“Rey’s gear, Rey’s, not the mask, Rey’s gear, entrance music could have been beefed up, and this to me was the opportunity,” he said.
Bully Ray suggested that WWE chose not to have Fenix advance because the company did not have any significant plans for him. Although Mahal understood that point, he maintained that a strong performance against Reigns in Mexico City could have established Fenix as a bigger star.
“Put Rey over. Give him that generational, I’m not gonna say generational win, generational performance against Roman in Mexico City,” Mahal said.
“That crowd reception, that response, that’s gonna carry on wherever you go, wherever he’s on television, whether that’s Raw or AAA, that’s gonna carry forward. Rey could have benefited more from the win than Penta.”
Penta will challenge Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship on the September 14 episode of WWE Raw in Mexico City.
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