
Indian wrestler Amanpreet Singh, better known as Mahabali Shera, has just delivered one of the most talked-about moments in combat sports this week. At Power Slap 21 in Las Vegas, Shera knocked out former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jack Swagger, now competing as Jake Hager, in the third round of their heavyweight bout. The knockout went viral almost instantly, making Mahabali Shera a name well beyond wrestling circles.
Born in Punjab, Amanpreet Singh built his early career in bodybuilding and kabaddi before moving into professional wrestling. He rose to prominence in TNA Impact Wrestling under the ring name Mahabali Shera, becoming one of the most recognisable Indian names in global wrestling. He also had a brief stint in WWE in 2018 before being released.
Power Slap is a competitive slapping discipline backed by UFC president Dana White. Power Slap 21 was held at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas on July 10, running as part of UFC 329 weekend. Shera's heavyweight contest against Hager was among the most anticipated bouts on the card.
The fight did not begin in Shera's favour. Hager staggered Shera with a powerful slap in the opening round, sending him to one knee. Shera recovered, stayed composed through the second round, then landed a single devastating slap in the third that knocked Hager unconscious and stopped the contest immediately.
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Jake Hager is no ordinary opponent. According to Yahoo Sports, he won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and the United States Championship during his eleven-year WWE career. He also went undefeated across four bouts in Bellator MMA, making Shera's comeback victory a genuinely significant upset.
The knockout sent the Las Vegas crowd into a frenzy and went viral almost immediately, with fans calling it one of the most spectacular results in Power Slap history. WWE superstar Rhea Ripley was in attendance, and her reaction to the knockout circulated widely online.
For an Indian combat sports athlete competing on a UFC weekend card in Las Vegas, knocking out a former world champion carries real weight. Mahabali Shera has significantly raised his profile, and whether he continues in Power Slap or returns to wrestling, this result changes the conversation around him entirely.
(With inputs from yMedia)