Nyora kuenderera mberi kweiyi ndima - PaApril 18 episode ye "SmackDown Live", Mahal akakunda dambudziko rechitanhatu-rakabatanidzawo Mojo Rawley, Dolph Ziggler, Erick Rowan, Luke Harper naSami Zayn kuti vawane zita remutambo weWWE Championship mushure mekupindira kubva kune vatsva vaMahal, The Singh Brothers (Samir naSunil Singh). Sechikamu chenyaya, Mahal akarwisa WWE Champion Randy Orton, achiba bhandi remakwikwi uye achidhura Orton mutambo wake naBray Wyatt paPayback musi waApril 30. Musi waMay 2 episode ye "SmackDown Live", SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon akamanikidza Mahal kudzorera zita rebhandi. Mahal akaenderera mberi nekukunda Sami Zayn gare gare muchikamu uye akapinza Randy Orton mumutambo wema tag-timu evarume vatanhatu kuti awane timu yake kukunda svondo rinotevera paSmackDown. Musi waMay 21 paBacklash
, Mahal akakunda Orton kuhwina WWE Championship (yekutanga mukwikwidzi muWWE), achiva wechi50 anozivikanwa WWE Champion uye wekutanga wedzinza reIndia. Mushure mekunge Mahal akabata mhemberero yePunjabi yekukunda kwake WWE Championship, Orton akataura chirevo chake chekudzokorora Mari muBhangi muna Chikumi 18; neWWE Hall of Famers Bob Orton Jr., Ric Flair, uye Sgt. Slaughter padyo neringi, Mahal akakunda Orton mukudzivirira kwake kwekutanga zita. Apo Orton akatsamwa akada mumwe mutambo, McMahon akaubvumira pamugariro wokuti Mahal aizosarudza chirevo, icho chakaratidzwa kuva mutambo wePunjabi Prison. NaMahal achinongedzera kuna The Great Khali se "gamba rake", Khali akazodzoka kuBattleground musi waChikunguru 23 kubatsira Mahal kukunda Orton uye kuchengetedza zita.