Former NBA big man Satnam Singh made his long-awaited debut in AEW recently. In an interview, he revealed why he picked All Elite over the WWE.
AEW signed the 7 foot 2 Indian due to his incredible potential in the wrestling world. His popularity as the first Indian-born player drafted in the NBA opens up an entirely new market.
Singh’s signing is “designed to build the AEW brand in India and has a lot to do with the WarnerMedia/Discovery merger,” according to Wrestling Observer Radio.
Chairman Tony Khan wants to take advantage of this potential new market by giving India a star of its own. Therefore, he must be grateful that Satnam Singh chose AEW over rival federation WWE.
Speaking to Ruby Arora, the former Dallas Maverick explained his choice.
Satnam Singh on picking AEW
In the video posted to Arora’s Instagram, Singh told of how his decision was guided by wanting to make history.
“I had given trials for WWE, and I liked it very much as well. I liked AEW as well,” explained Singh, quotes from Wrestling News.
“AEW is brand new, it’s only been a couple of years, right? And it’s really fire. I thought that if I go to AEW, I would be the first again.”
Singh is referencing the aforementioned piece of history he owns as the first Indian ever selected in the NBA draft.
“The first wrestler from India. I will make another history for India in AEW…If I go to WWE, that would be amazing, but amazing why? They already have Indian people over there; they have an Indian wrestler.
“Why don’t I go start there [AEW] where there are no Indian guys and create history again after reaching there? Not for me, for the Indian wrestlers. For everyone.”
After signing in September 2021, Singh finally made his debut on AEW Dynamite.
A mixed debut
The giant star made a stunning entrance into the ring, appearing out of nowhere after the lights went out in the arena. Singh didn’t mess about, clotheslining newly crowned ROH TV champion Samoa Joe.
Read: How tall is Satnam Singh? Indian giant compared to the Great Khali after AEW debut.
He then helped take down Samoa Joe by holding him in a vice grip as Jay Lethal hit a ‘lethal injection’ on the champ.
However, Satnam Singh’s first appearance was not massively popular. Fans had expected a bigger name to make a surprise appearance once the lights went out – a traditional way of introducing a shock big name.
AEW chairman Tony Khan agreed that the lights-out introduction was maybe not the best choice. Speaking to Busted Open Radio, he conceded that Singh’s debut could have gone differently.
“I could’ve done it better,” Khan admitted, quotes Wrestling Inc. “It’s one of those things. I wish I had done it a little differently because the fans are always gonna be right.”
That being said, people in the wrestling community have high hopes for Satnam Singh. For example, SB Nation suggests that his light-footedness for a big man bodes well for his chances of becoming a good wrestler. Typically, large-framed wrestlers are awkward and limited in their moves. For Singh, this may not be the case.
AEW will hope that Satnam Singh has a long and popular career ahead of him.
Featured image credit: Getty
