Can they Be Saved? #1: Great Khali

[HillBillyJim]

Admit it, the WWE roster is loaded. But it has gotten so big that some former stars have been pushed to jobber status, or forgotten. I decided to do a short thread series to discuss these lost souls, each featuring one. This week features the Great Khali.

Debuting in 2006, Khali rose fast to stardom, feuding with the Undertaker [yes the Undertaker]. Later on, he would go on to WM 23 and beat down Kane. The highest point of his career was winning the WHC on Smackdown in a battle royal. From there he went south, fighting injuries and feuding with his 'Brother" Jinder Mahal. currently he dances with someone elses wife and a midget we all wish would die. yeah, hes not the same man who invented the Punjabi Prison. So now I ask you. Can he me saved?

 

[LoudClearVoice]

He cannot be saved and WWE should just suck it up and future endeavor him. I can't believe that there's no other Indian wrestlers that they could bring in. Almost all the Indians I know can't stand Khali and view him as a joke and a disgrace. He walks like a robot, can't talk and is no longer believable. Even at his peak when he had the world title and feuded with Taker and Batista, he was still a joke.

 

[Bear]

Nah. I like Khali and all but it has gotten to the point where I almost don't want to see him saved. Is he the same guy that debuted in 2006? Hell to the no. But his body is the real problem here. Have you seen the guy limp out to the ring? He was never in great shape but it has gotten to the point where I don't even think he would be able to return to that same Khali. Guys like Batista have called him incredibly hard to work with and last time I checked? There aren't many on the roster who could carry him like Dave and others did day in and day out. Is his playboy gimmick stale and uninteresting? Definitely. But I don't believe for a second that the writers or creative wouldn't have given him something better if they thought he (and his body) could handle it. But it just isn't in the cards right now and I don't think it'll ever be.

 

[closet_fan]

Ordinarily I would say yes because they have been able to do it with other big guys like Big Show and Kane. But no, Khali is nothing more than an attraction these days.

Even in the beginning he wasn't that good. He couldn't wrestle. Hell he could barely move. He was just BIG.

Like SDS1582 said, he was always a joke because he couldn't do anything. He was just bigger than the biggest guys they had. The WWE were likely hoping fans would be more in awe of his size and forget the fact that he wasn't talented, but it didn't happen.

And any notion that the WWE keeps him simply because of the middle eastern demographic should be thrown out the window. If that's the case, push Jinder Mahal or sign an Indy wrestler of ME descent. I am sure there are a lot of talented ones out there.

All Khali is now is a carny-style attraction just because of his size. That's it.

 

[R.K.O]

No, his knees are blown out and his physique is getting worse and worse. Character wise of course anyone can be saved but with Khali's physical state I doubt it can be done.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I'm afraid the answer is a resounding no when it comes to The Great Khali. Khali is an extraordinarily limited wrestler and there's simply not much that can be done with him in any meaningful way.

Khali has a relatively poor grasp of the English language. I think he can understand it just fine but he obviously has great difficulty speaking it. Like a lot of giants, Khali has had various leg issues that are only worsening as he gets older. As a result, he's very slow and his mobility is extraordinarily limited. He has very little understanding or knowledge of psychology, he doesn't know how to tell a story, his selling is usually beyond awful and many of his moves look far too fake. His big chop, for instance, looks like it wouldn't hurt a fly.

I will give Khali credit in that he honestly does try his best. Personally, I do respect someone that gets in there and tries his hardest. It's just not nearly enough in Khali's case. Khali was hired because of his freakish size. Johnny Ace probably saw him and thought that Khali could be made into a megastar because of his size and look. Khali has been repackaged, slightly, a couple of times but it can't overcome the numerous shortcomings he's got.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

He can be saved and I hope he can be saved. Put the world title on him. He's not any worse than the other options they have right now. Del Rio can't get any heat on him without Ricardo. Ziggler is Ziggler. Sheamus is over but they can't find a feud for him to save his life. Khali can be the dragon that the Irishman can slay.

That about does it.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

Maybe back in 2011 I would have said Yes, but the fact of the matter is, he's on his last legs in a wrestling career. He was nowhere near great in 06/07 when he debuted and became Champion, but he was slightly passable. Now, it's not even funny how crippled this guy is in the ring. He can't speak English and while his mouth piece (Ranjin Singh or something like that) tried to get him heat, it just came off as forced.

Booking him as a dominant heel is not a good idea now, seeing as he has the problems that he has. He serves no real purpose as enhancement talent either, nor does he when he's randomly squashing 3MB or some bullshit. I honestly think WWE should put him out of his misery, his time has come and gone.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

I think you can go ahead and stick a fork in Khali at this point. His age and injuries are catching up with him, so I can't imagine WWE putting too much time or effort into building some worthwhile material with Khali. They'll probably trot him out in front of the fans every now and then for some comedy stuff, or for the sole purpose of another wrestler performing the impressive feat of strength on a giant (i.e. Ryback Shell-Shocking Khali recently), but that's about it.

 

[MWRedskins]

no.....firstly, let me say giving Khali the World title as someone above wrote would still not save Khali. they can make him into a monster heel like Henry was and that still wont save him because 1) he doesnt have the in ring ability that others have.....2) he cant cut a promo and 3) his kness (sadly) are in bad shape. if he were hired years ago and learned wrestling fast and had some decent in ring moves then this would be a yes, but he's not improving in the ring though he does try hard, he's just not good. he's just fine in the role he's in (if WWE wants to keep him).

 

[Mustang Sally]

He doesn't need to be saved....he has a function, and he fills it. If people are offended that he's not a technical wrestling marvel or that he can't do 619s, they're going to want him gone no matter what.....and they have their right to that opinion.

Khali is there to be.....big. That's why he's a member of the company. He puts people over....and occasionally even wins a match. That's a function.....you might believe it's not a useful function, but the guy has a defined purpose and he operates within it.

I presume the company feels that fans like to see a man of that height stumbling down the aisle, with Natalya and sometimes Hornswoggle in tow. I'll even admit I kind of enjoy it, too. No, I wouldn't buy a pay-per-view because I know Khali will be on it, but his matches are mercifully short and there's something freakishly appealing about his act.

Pro wrestling is performance art, not legitimate athletic competition. It takes a hodgepodge of acts to make up a company and Khali brings something to the table that no one else does. I see no harm in him sticking around.

 

[CyberPunk]

Khali is an interesting case. He was never a technical marvel, he'll never be. But why save him? He is perfect in his current role. As an Indian, I'd like an Indian performer in WWE, but Khali is not the one to be pushed. He is fine. I can't believe he survived 7 years in this company. His appearances are short, so let it be.

 

[Horatio Fellatio]

"Saved"? That's a very naive idea. There's nothing to save. Khali is an attraction, not a classical wrestler. He's not meant to be your world champion. His token run was simply that, and he's never been meant to be anything else. In the territorial days you had your wrestlers and you had attractions. Khali is an attraction in the vein of Andre The Giant or Haystacks Calhoun. Nothing more and nothing less. He plays his part.

 

[SuperSteve16]

Why exactly does the Great Khali need to be saved? Khali isn't wrestling in the WWE to be World Champion or to get any kind of push at all, he is used as an attraction and thats perfectly fine. The guy doesn't need to be in any main events for the rest of his career and he is obviously very limited in his wrestling ability and promos but again that is fine. Khali is being used as an attraction in terms of kids being amazed by his size and will continue to be used this way until he decides to retire.

 

[Suikervrij]

Khali in his current role isn't getting over in my honest opinion. Hornswoggle is neglectable and this skit is only hurting Natalya's credibility too. Khali has zero mic skills so i'd suggest he'd be the muscle for another superstar if there's anything to be done with him. Sort of like they did when Big E first came to the main WWE roster. Khali did a great job when Jinder Mahal first came to the WWE and i was sort of dissapointed they didn't run with it any further because Khali would be storyline forced to wrestle. And when that's the case it doesn't matter how bad it looks, you're just rooting for the good guy, and if there's anything that Khali can do, it's being the token good guy.

 

[tvcolosi]

upper-mid maybe. They had a 20 man battle royal on main event a few months ago for a us title shot. Khali won and lost the next week to Cesaro, Khali had his working boots on that night. Best Khali match I've ever seen.

 

[MCMG]

Khali has never ever been good enough to be a world champion. He simply isn't good enough in the ring and, well, he can't actually deliver a promo. There is an option to give him a manager but that will only extend the pain of having him on my TV. He is no longer able to put on a good match so just let him leave. Jack Swagger and Cesaro can take him of TV permanently.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Great Khali doesn't need saved. He serves a purpose with the WWE.

It's called the country of India. That sweltering, stinky place in Asia with more than a billion people in a country that's almost a big as Texas? Well they watch a lot of television in that part of the world and the WWE's still pretty big there, too. The Great Khali's still marketed as a big deal there and him being released means they lose a chunk of a market they need to keep.

So Khali's fine. PUNJABI!

 

[Soulblazed]

I think that Khali can be saved..Don't put him near the World/WWE Titles..Give him the Intercontinental Championship if you give him any title..As crippled as he is, I think that he could start using Awesome Kong's Accordion Rack(modified Torture Rack) submission which would at least make his wins look more convincing.

Fast forward to 1:16 for the Accordion Rack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb1XRgbpKY4

 

[Suikervrij]

Great Khali doesn't need saved. He serves a purpose with the WWE.

It's called the country of India. That sweltering, stinky place in Asia with more than a billion people in a country that's almost a big as Texas? Well they watch a lot of television in that part of the world and the WWE's still pretty big there, too. The Great Khali's still marketed as a big deal there and him being released means they lose a chunk of a market they need to keep.

So Khali's fine. PUNJABI!

There's no other Indian superstar? They can try and give Jinder Mahal a proper push or even, god forbid, bring a guy like Sonjay Dutt over to WWE...