Shanky Explains Why His Mother Wasn’t There At Superstars Spectacle
Shanky is deeply appreciative of the opportunity he had to wrestle for WWE in India.
Born on June 19, 1991, Gurvinder Singh Malhotra is a well-known Indian professional wrestler. He gained prominence during his time with WWE, where he went by the ring name Shanky. His journey into the world of wrestling began when he heard The Great Khali discussing his new wrestling academy, Continental Wrestling Entertainment (CWE), in 2015. Inspired by this, Shanky decided to join CWE.
Professional Wrestling Career
In 2015, at the age of 24, Malhotra joined Continental Wrestling Entertainment (CWE). He officially adopted the persona of Shanky Singh on June 21, 2016, and this was announced through CWE’s official YouTube channel. On March 22, 2017, he shared the exciting news that he had been chosen for WWE tryouts in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. During his tenure with CWE, he achieved the Heavyweight title on two occasions.
On January 29, 2020, WWE revealed the signing of three Indian trainees, including Malhotra. On January 22, 2021, at Superstar Spectacle, Malhotra, now wrestling under the name Dilsher Shanky, teamed up with Giant Zanjeer, Rey Mysterio, and Ricochet to secure a triumphant victory against Cesaro, Dolph Ziggler, King Corbin, and Shinsuke Nakamura in an eight-man tag-team match. Later, on the May 10 episode of Raw, Shanky allied with Veer and joined forces with Jinder Mahal. During the 2021 Draft, both Shanky and Mahal were chosen to be part of the SmackDown brand, while Veer remained on the Raw brand, signifying the end of their partnership with Veer.
Starting from the May 27 episode of SmackDown, Shanky introduced dance elements into his entrances and exits. In 2023, Mahal joined Indus Sher, effectively concluding his partnership with Shanky. At the 2023 Superstar Spectacle live event, Shanky made a return to the ring after more than 14 months but was unable to secure the WWE Intercontinental Championship from Gunther. On September 21, 2023, Malhotra was released from his WWE contract.
Shanky, whose real name is Gurvinder Singh Malhotra, was interviewed by Wrasslinews at the WWE Superstar Spectacle in India. The interview was conducted after Shanky’s release from WWE. He spoke about WWE’s return to India and how it had always been his dream to wrestle in front of his fellow countrymen.
“I’m incredibly excited because WWE is hosting a show in Hyderabad for the very first time,” he exclaimed. “I’ve been eagerly awaiting this moment for a long time, and it’s finally become a reality!”
However, Shanky’s mother was not present at the WWE Superstar Spectacle.
“No, my mother isn’t a fan of watching wrestling. She’s more concerned about my safety, which is why she decided not to attend today’s event, as she anticipates there might be a lot of physicality and intensity,” he explained. “So she’s chosen to stay at home. Nevertheless, many of my cousins and friends have come here to support me today.”
The former WWE star received his training at The Great Khali’s wrestling school and was thrilled at the opportunity to meet him.
“I’ve always felt fortunate to have [Khali] Sir’s support throughout my wrestling journey,” he expressed. “My wrestling career began at his wrestling school – CWE, and it’s a great feeling. Surprisingly, I haven’t had the chance to meet Khali sir in person yet,” he mentioned.
Shanky was one of several performers released by WWE on September 21. His last match for the promotion was his Intercontinental title bout with Gunther at the 2023 WWE Superstar Spectacle, which marked his first match in over 14 months.
