The Iron Sheik humbles Jinder Mahal over use of the Camel Clutch

The Iron Sheik humbles Jinder Mahal over use of the Camel Clutch

Jinder Mahal has made it clear he has no problem challenging Superstars who cast a large shadow, literally or otherwise. But even he might have overstepped his bounds this time.

While the Indian Superstar has made an enemy in the mighty Ryback recently, his adoption of the fabled Camel Clutch as a signature maneuver has not escaped the eye of The Iron Sheik himself. The WWE Hall of Famer made his career of “humbling” opponents with the Clutch en route to a WWE Championship reign and a run as WWE Tag Team Champion alongside fellow Hall of Famer Nikolai Volkoff. ( WATCH: SHEIK WINS WWE TITLE)

Sheik is more or less retired from in-ring duty, but rest assured: Mahal’s use of his signature maneuver has not escaped the former champion’s eye.

“First, I want to say hello to all my [WWE] fans,” Sheik began in his interview with WWE.com earlier this week. His diplomacy did not quite extend to Mahal himself, though.

“That was my hold, only Iron Sheik hold, and now the Indian man come and use it,” Sheik said, expressing his frustration over the young Superstar’s appropriation of the move he perfected. “He never ask me, never talk to me … and now he use my hold.”

In sports-entertainment, it is customary for younger Superstars to ask permission of the veterans when adopting a signature move, but Mahal has been using the Camel Clutch for several months now, first breaking it out this past winter on Superstars like Ted DiBiase and Ezekiel Jackson, with nary a peep heard from Sheik. Last week on SmackDown, Mahal channeled his current rival, Ryback, by trapping two local competitors within the Clutch’s vicious confines ( WATCH). It was certainly a “humbling” display the Sheik himself might have appreciated, and despite the young gun’s adoption of Sheik’s bread and butter, the Hall of Famer does admit he’s seen Jinder in action.

“I just saw [Mahal] a couple times,” Sheik admitted, and he was not short on praise for the opulent ring warrior’s skills.

Still, Sheik did have a few choice words for his would-be protégé.

“If I was a young Iron Sheik, I can suplex him … humble him first and then I show him my Camel Clutch, but I never got to that point,” Sheik told WWE.com, the old fire tangible even over the phone. “Now he using me, he use my greatest hold, the Camel Clutch, I don’t know. Sometimes I can be happy that the Indian come use my hold, sometimes I can be unhappy because why you have to use my hold?”

It’s unlikely that the Sheik will return to challenge Mahal anytime soon, as he is currently recovering from ankle surgery. But even so, Sheik has no problem letting the young gun know who’s boss.

“Only one Iron Sheik, one Camel Clutch,” Sheik said succinctly. “No one else in the young generation try to be the Iron Sheik [besides Jinder Mahal], but he is not Iron Sheik.”

Your move, Jinder.

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