Reviewing The Punjabi Prison Matches of the Past and Predicting The Future

Batista vs. Great Khali Battled In One Hell of A Punjabi Prison Match

This Sunday at WWE Battleground Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton are going to be locked into a crazy match known as the Punjabi Prison match. The two will face off for the WWE Championship and while some fans may not remember the past matches, I remember them as I was not only an adult when they occurred, I was there live for one of them. I guess I’m old. Regardless, there were only two other times that this match took place, making the upcoming showdown the third time that the WWE has placed two competitors in this structure.

Ahead of this weekend’s matchup, I’ve decided to review the last two matches that occurred inside of this structure. Not only that, I’m going to predict the winner of the upcoming Punjabi Prison Match that will take place at WWE Battleground!

Not sure what a Punjabi Prison match is? Well, WWE.com , discusses the rules, in case you don’t remember them. It’s a mix between a traditional cage match, a thunder dome cage match, and other cage structures. However, the façade is covered in bamboo looking elements, with spikes, presenting on cool visual for this epic fight. Now, onto the reviews!

The Undertaker defeated The Big Show in a Punjabi Prison Match
The Great American Bash 2006

The Great American Bash from 2006 was a pretty cool event, and while I didn’t cover it at the time due to PPV’s costing $49.99 each month, I saw it later. The ECW Champion at the time took on The Undertaker in the first ever Punjabi Prison Match. However, it wasn’t supposed to be The Big Show. The Great Khali was NOT medically cleared at the time, as he had elevated liver enzymes, and didn’t even come back to television for some time. The match was supposed to be Undertaker and Khali, since Khali had manhandled the Undertaker prior to this showdown.

The match itself was unique, with a lot of cool visuals on PPV, and of course The Undertaker still in his prime working the Big Show. Even though the two were big men at the time, there were some great hard-hitting shots, and some great drama in this 20-minute bout. The Undertaker would get the win, and further the feud between him and Khali. I know, odd as that sounds. Khali would eventually lose to the Undertaker in on great match later on Smackdown. However, Big Show got the “L” on this one.

Overall, the match is probably only a 3-star match. However, a 20-minute bout on a PPV that you don’t’ remember, isn’t half bad.

Batista defeated The Great Khali in a Punjabi Prison Match
No Mercy 2007

Ah, 2007, the year that I graduated college for the first time. This event was cost prohibited for me, unfortunately, but the show went on. Batista and The Great Khali were embroiled in a feud, with Batista claiming that he wasn’t afraid of the big man. The match was signed, and this match had a lot more memorable moments than the first Punjabi Prison match. In fact, if you remember, this match was only 15 minutes or so, but Batista was flying around the ring like a cruiserweight against Khali, and was earning his paycheck. Khali, even though he was lumbering, still put on a decent showing, but credit Batista for making this a memorable bout. Batista would get the win, but not without enduring some heavy blows from Khali. Personally, I don’t think Khali would’ve been able to match Batista’s athleticism in 2007, as the big man was starting to get some serious momentum in the WWE.

Overall, the match was about a 3-star match, simply because Khali was starting to get a little slow at this point.

Jinder Mahal vs. Randy Orton (WWE Championship, Punjabi Prison Match)
WWE Battleground 2017

And now, we go to the future! What will go down between Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton? Well, I’m going to have to agree with others like Sportsbettingdime.com , and am going to say that Jinder Mahal is going to get the 1-up against Randy Orton. Why? Well, if you read my coverage of WWE Payback, I literally thanked Jinder Mahal for interfering in the House of Horrors match. Why? Because Randy Orton bores me, and he is literally phoning it in. Mahal may be a bit new, but he’s got a lot more mileage to go versus Orton at this point. Plus, The Singh brothers are going to no doubt going to find a way to help Mahal yet again, and even though Mahal may take a beating, he is going to get out of this match the winner. He may be beaten, and even bloody, but Mahal is going to survive, and Orton is going to get thrown into a feud with literally anyone else on Smackdown right now.

My prediction for the Punjabi Prison match? Jinder “The Maharaja” Mahal!