It’s one of the two most controversial shows of the year. It’s Crown Jewel time, folks.
It’s hard to talk about these shows because it’s always amongst the backdrop of Saudi Arabia’s various human rights violations, and WWE’s involvement is a key example of the sportswashing going on in the country. At the end of the day, WWE gets paid 50 million, 100 million total, for these two shows every year. WrestleMania doesn’t even come close to making that kind of money. These shows are going to happen, and there’s not much we can do otherwise. So we gotta talk about them.
Roman Reigns and Logan Paul exceeded expectations, as their match turned into an excellent main event. I have to say, Logan Paul is one of the better rookies I have ever seen. This is match number 3, and he already is a main event level talent. It’s truly astonishing how great he was, and I can’t emphasize this more. Roman Reigns also had a lot to do with this match being great. At this stage of his run he knows exactly what to do in his matches, and they almost always deliver.
I wasn’t sold on the Logan Paul idea, and he’s almost always booed in the United States. But he’s so good in the ring at this point he’ll probably get over as a babyface anyway because of his freak athleticism. It’s too bad he apparently blew out his knee in the match, as that will likely put him out for a year.
Bayley and Bianca Belair had a really good Last Woman Standing match, better than their ladder match the previous month at Extreme Rules. I kind of get bored with WWE stipulation matches as they kind of all blend together, but I liked the use of the golf cart in the match, and the finish was wild, with Bayley taking the KOD on top of the seated chair. With Nikki Cross interfering, i feel like the Women’s WarGames match will be Belair, Asuka, Bliss, Candace LeRae vs. Damage CTRL and Cross, but we’ll see.
Speaking of, Bliss and Asuka lost the Women’s Tag Team titles back to Damage CTRL after winning them just days earlier on Raw. It makes sense in that they probably wanted one title change in Saudi Arabia, and this was it. It was good, but the bigger story was Bliss cutting a promo prior to the match when all of a sudden Bray Wyatt’s new logo appeared on the monitor behind her. She seemed startled by it, but then moved on. So for those that are eagerly awaiting the return of Lady Fiend, good news, it looks like they are going in that direction.
Wyatt did speak later in the show. He’s feuding with himself in a Michael Hayes mask. I don’t find it that interesting or compelling at the moment because with Wyatt’s stuff, it’s always a question of where they are going, and it’s almost never good. Maybe it will be different next month. But as of right now, not interested.
Karrion Kross and Drew McIntyre (who was reportedly battling the flu) had a good match, but here’s something that annoys me. Every single time WWE brings in the steel cage, they stress that no one can interfere. So in every single cage match they do, the focal point is someone interfering. They have made these steel cage matches so meaningless whenever they do that. Scarlett macing the referee and Drew and locking the cage was not great. But regardless, they had a good match.
The Judgment Day and OC match was good, but it very much served as a placeholder match. The key next bout will involve the return of Edge and very likely Beth Phoenix, as they have pushed heavily that the OC are stumped in regards to how to handle Ripley, who is frequently interfering. Survior Series sounds about right, but they could also hold off until Royal Rumble (there is no longer a Day One show).
Omos vs. Braun Strowman was short, and okay, which means that Omos has improved a lot in the last year as I don’t think he could have done this match even a few months ago. He didn’t look lost doing the spots he needed to do, so this ended up being fine for a mean big guy match. It very much was like Lashley and Lesnar, except that was miles better. But good job here!
The Usos and Brawling Brutes had a very good match, but we’re at the point in this division where there’s no clear favorites to beat The Usos, so we’re just biding time until WrestleMania. The New Day, who have faced The Usos approximately one million times, are next. All of this will be very good most likely, but this division needs some sort of spark to carry them over for the next few months.
WWE will end 2022 with Survivor Series WarGames, which will of course feature the WarGames match that Triple H resurrected in NXT. It’s not the WarGames of old (the new version has no blood but way more weapons), but it should be interesting to see how they carry this over on the main roster.
Here are news and notes stemming from this morning’s WWE Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia.
PWInsider reported Saturday afternoon that Drew McIntyre had been “extremely sick with the flu” over the last several days. However, he managed to work through the illness, wrestling in the steel cage match against Karrion Kross. McIntyre emerged victorious, climbing down the cage successfully before Kross could escape.
Logan Paul was not victorious at Crown Jewel, as despite assistance from his brother Jake, he was not able to beat the odds after a Superman punch and spear from Roman Reigns. At one point in the match, Paul went to the top rope with a phone and captured himself hitting a splash off the post and to the floor. You can see footage of that below:
The Usos were successful Saturday at Crown Jewel, defeating The Brawling Brutes to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles. As a result, it is now confirmed The Usos will defend the titles against New Day next Friday on SmackDown.
For the second time this year, WWE returns to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel in Riyadh.
The show will be headlined by Roman Reigns defending the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Logan Paul. The story WWE has pushed since announcing the match is that although Paul is at a disadvantage against Reigns, all it could take is “one lucky shot” to take out Reigns and pin him. At the press conference for Crown Jewel on Friday morning, it was revealed that Logan’s brother Jake Paul will be in his corner.
Bayley will get another shot at Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Championship. Although Belair was successful at Extreme Rules by defeating Bayley in a ladder match, Bayley pinned Belair two weeks ago to earn another championship match.
Both the men’s and women’s Tag Team titles will be on the line. The Usos will defend against The Brawling Brutes. Asuka and Alexa Bliss, who won the Women’s Tag Team titles on Monday, will face former champions Damage CTRL (IYO SKY and Dakota Kai) in a rematch.
Other matches on the card include Brock Lesnar returning to face Bobby Lashley, Braun Strowman facing Omos, Drew McIntyre meeting Karrion Kross in a steel cage match, and The OC facing off against The Judgement Day in a six-man tag team match.
Live coverage begins at 11 am ET.
There was an opening video narrated by Titus O’Neil.
Brock Lesnar defeated Bobby Lashley
This was a good sprint of a match, exactly what was needed between these two. The story told here was that while Lesnar got the win, he had been dominated by Lashley for most of the match until he got a big break.
Lashley jumped Lesnar before the bell, targeting his leg. Lashley connected with a spear. Lesnar tried to recover on the outside, but Lashley speared Lesnar through the ringside barricade. Lashley then connected with another spear for a near fall.
Lashley went for the Hurt Lock but Lesnar countered with a German suplex, then another. Lesnar nailed Lashley with the F5 but Lashley kicked out. Lashley recovered and clotheslined Lesnar out of the ring, grabbed him, then rammed him into the turnbuckle. Back in the ring, Lashley went for a spear but Lesnar countered with an F5 attempt. Lashley took him down then applied the Hurt Lock.
The referee started to raise Lesnar’s hand, but Lesnar woke up right at three and struggled to escape. He used the turnbuckle for leverage, pushing himself and sending Lashley down to the mat, the referee counting his shoulders for the three count.
After the match, a mad Lashley applied the Hurt Lock again, keeping Lesnar down. I thought Lesnar was a babyface?
Byron Saxton backstage asked Asuka and Alexa Bliss backstage how they would prepare to defend their tag team titles tonight after only having them for 5 days. Bliss prepared to respond, but suddenly Bray Wyatt’s new logo appeared on the screen briefly. Bliss seemed taken aback, but responded anyway. Asuka said Damage CTRL were not ready for Asuka and Alexa. Michael Cole noted the past between Bliss and Wyatt.
Damage CTRL (IYO SKY and Dakota Kai) defeated Alexa Bliss and Asuka to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles
I guess they were not ready in hindsight. A good, basic match. I guess they did a title change on Monday just so they can do a title change here in Saudi Arabia.
Kai and Bliss started things off. After some back and forth, they tag out to their partners. The crowd reacted to Bliss and SKY squaring off. Asuka and Bliss hit an assisted jawbreaker on Kai for a nearfall. The two then took down Kai and SKY on the outside with stereo hip attacks.
SKY hit a springboard dropkick on Asuka on the top rope, putting her in a tree of woe position. Kai dropkicked Asuka to the floor, who started to favor her right knee. Kai worked on the knee back in the ring, then tagged out to SKY. Asuka escaped and made the hot tag to Bliss, who ran wild on both women.
Action continued with Bliss nailing Kai with a tornado DDT. SKY is tagged in and briefly gains control before Bliss nails a code red for a nearfall. SKY meets Bliss on the top rope and is assisted by Kai. Asuka joins in for the tower of doom spot. Asuka is tagged in as she peppered Kai with strikes. Kai with a running kick to the corner for a nearfall. Asuka tagged in Bliss who goes for Twisted Bliss but is distracted by SKY, allowing Kai to get her knees up. SKY went for a moonsault to the floor, but Asuka moved, sending SKY crashing. Despite that, SKY recovered quick enough for her and Asuka to fight inside the ring, causing the referee to become distracted.
Bliss went for the Twisted Bliss again, but Nikki Cross appeared out of nowhere and took out Bliss with an ego trip on the top rope. Kai then covered Bliss for the win.
A nice car pulled up backstage. Logan Paul and his brother Jake appeared. Byron asked how Logan feels ahead of the match. Logan says all it will take is one lucky punch.
Drew McIntyre defeated Karrion Kross in a steel cage match
This was much better than their Extreme Rules match. With that said, I wish WWE would get rid of this trope that someone, anyone, must interfere in a cage match, as it pretty much defeats the purpose of a cage match if there is constant interference anyway.
McIntyre started off with the advantage, laying out Kross with a back suplex. Kross cut him off and tried to climb, but McIntyre met him on the top rope. Kross crotched McIntyre as he started to gain control. The two exchange chops, but Kross throws McIntyre into the cage.
McIntyre attempted a comeback, throwing Kross into the cage before laying him out with a neckbreaker. McIntyre with a Michinoku driver for a nearfall. McIntyre went to the top rope with Kross, but Kross starts to fight back, putting McIntyre in a tree of woe position. However, McIntyre used his core strength to get up and grab Kross, throwing him off the top rope..
Kross cut off McIntyre with a knee but McIntyre fought back with a spinebuster. Kross came back with a choke on the floor, but McIntyre reversed. Kross with the Saito suplex. McIntyre ducked the Kross hammer and hit the future shock DDT. McIntyre attempted the Claymore kick, but Scarlett provided the distraction needed to recover and take out McIntyre with the Kross hammer.
Kross started to climb the cage, but McIntyre recovered and grabbed Kross, nailing a huge superplex to the floor. McIntyre attempted to escape through the cage, but Scarlett maced McIntyre and the referee. Kross attempted to crawl out of the ring, but McIntyre came back with an ankle lock. Kross fought back, but McIntyre cut him off with a kick.
Scarlett closed the cage, grabbing the key as she told McIntyre he couldn’t win. McIntyre started to climb the cage as Scarlett frantically unlocked the cage so Kross could exit. McIntyre jumped the floor, giving him the win.
A nice car pulled up, this time it was The Bloodline minus Sami Zayn. Byron asked Roman Reigns if he had a response to Logan Paul’s comment that he just needed one lucky punch. He did not. Paul Heyman instead taunted Paul and said Roman Reigns had the greatest defense in WWE history and Paul’s one lucky punch means nothing.
Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, and Dominik Mysterio) (with Rhea Ripley) defeated The OC (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows)
A fine six-man tag, pretty basic but the crowd was into it. This is clearly a finish to set up a returning Edge and Beth Phoenix, whenever that may be.
Anderson and Balor started things off, with Cole on commentary explicitly mentioning him as the NEVER Openweight Champion of New Japan. Gallows and Priest are then tagged in, then Mysterio and Styles. The OC worked over Mysterio in their corner. Priest superkicked Anderson the outside, allowing Mysterio and Judgment Day to gain the advantage.
After a long period of Anderson being worked on, he is freed and tagged in Gallows, who cleared house. Magic Killer attempt on Mysterio but Priest cut them off. Balor and Styles are tagged in. Styles attempted the Styles Clash but Balor cut him off and applied a figure four leglock.
Balor went to the top rope but Styles cut him off. Eventually everyone got back in the ring, where Styles hit a superplex and The Good Brothers laid out Judgment Day with a double electric chair. Rhea Ripley suddenly grabbed Styles on the outside and dropped him face first on the apron. This eventually allowed Balor to hit the coup de grace for the win.
Braun Strowman defeated Omos
This was okay. Omos looked fine doing his power spots. It was actually very similar to the opener, though not as good. It told the same story of Omos dominating the match, only to get pinned after an opening.
Omos dared Strowman to do a test of strength challenge with him. Strowman agreed. With Omos overpowering Strowman and drilled him with a knee, then a splash in the corner. Omos then connected with a big boot. Strowman cut off Omos briefly but Omos fired back with a bodyslam. Strowman attempted a bodyslam but Omos bodyslammed him using one arm.
Omos continued the domination, throwing Strowman across the ring. Omos went for the tree slam, but Strowman cut him off and finally managed to clothesline him to the floor. Strowman went for the freight train tackle on the outside, but Omos completely blocked him, sending Strowman to the floor. Strowman overpowered a tree slam attempt as Omos missed a charge in the corner. This gave Strowman the opportunity to plant Omos with the running powerslam for the victory.
The Usos defeated The Brawling Brutes to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles
A good, albeit short tag team title match. I wish this got more time as it could have been easily the best match on the card up to this point.
The Usos attempted to leave the ring with the titles, but Butch cut them off as he started work on Jimmy. However, the Usos soon gained control, going on offense against Butch. Butch cut off Jimmy with a tornado DDT, with Holland coming in and running wild on both Usos. After laying out both men, Holland paid tribute to Sheamus with 9 punches to the chest of Jey outside on the apron. On the outside, Brawling Brutes gained revenge over Sheamus by stomping Jey’s hand on the steps.
Holland continued to work over Jey inside the ring. Butch hit a moonsault on Jey for a nearfall. The Usos began to fight back with superkicks as Jimmy hit a splash on Butch, but Butch grabbed him in a triangle position. Jimmy managed to tag back to Jey as the two hit a double splash on Butch for a nearfall, with Holland breaking up the pin.
Butch adjusted Jey’s hand, allowing Holland to come back and hit white noise for a nearfall. Jimmy broke up another pinfall attempt. Butch went to the top rope but didn’t see Jey tag in Jimmy. This allowed them to cut Butch off and hit a 1D off the top rope on Butch for the win.
Bianca Belair defeated Bayley to retain the Raw Women’s Championship
This was very good. I get kind of bored with the same WWE-style weapons match that they usually do, but they changed things up here a bit and I enjoyed the golf cart spot.
Belair gained the advantage early, throwing Bayley to the outside. Bayley grabs a kendo stick as she re-enters the ring. Belair avoided the shots and cut off Bayley. Bayley exited the ring and grabbed a steel chair, but the results remained the same, with Belair avoiding the shots.
Bayley took out a ladder and put it in the ring, but Belair took out Bayley with a plancha to the floor. Bayley cut off Belair and hit a suplex on the floor. Bayley sat down Belair on the chair and climbed the barricade, hitting a running clothesline off the barricade.
Bayley introduced a table and went back to Belair, but Belair countered with a suplex on the entrance ramp. Bayley pretended to injure her knee, using the opportunity to jump Belair. Belair cut off Bayley by throwing a chair right at Bayley’s head. But again, Bayley cut her off and this time dragged her to the outside, pinning her against the steel steps. Bayley blasted Belair with kendo stick shots. Belair eventually escaped, grabbed one of the steps, and threw it to the floor.
Belair gave Bayley a spinebuster to the floor as the two battled up to the entranceway. Bayley blocked a kendo stick shot and instead gave Belair a Bailey to Belly. Belair got up before 10. Bayley somehow trapped Belair in a case. Belair escaped, but her ponytail became trapped in the case. Belair escaped and went for the KOD but Bayley countered with a crossface.
Bayley then introduced a golf cart into the match, with Belair just barely avoiding getting hit. Bayley went for a move off the top of the golf cart, but instead the two brawled on top of it. Belair got into the golf cart and drove to the table, but Bayley grazed it and hit the floor instead. Belair powerbombed Bayley into the table for a 9 count.
Belair introduced a bunch of chairs into the ring. Belair went for a 450, but Bayley dodged. Belair just makes it to 9 as Bayley attempts to set up the ladder. Belair fought back, hitting a KOD on top of a seated chair. Belair then put Bayley inside the ladder and pinned it against one of the corners of the ring, preventing Bayley from getting back up. The referee then counted to ten as Belair retained.
It is now Bray Wyatt performance piece time as he comes to the ring. He said that he used to do something to make people know who he is. He comes from a very prestigious wrestling family. Some might say they are larger than life. All he ever wanted to be growing up was great, but he had to be the greatest amongst all of them.
He said he thought what he needed to do. He made a monster of himself. He wore that mask with pride. He no longer felt pain wearing the mask, he could no longer be afraid. He felt untouchable, and that felt good. He found himself in a kingdom of nothingness, sitting on an island by himself. The monster destroyed him and ran off all that he ever loved. Wyatt said no one loves him, they just love the idea of him.
This doesn’t have to be the end of the story. His name is Bray Wyatt, and he will rewrite the ending to his story.
However, Uncle Howdy appeared on the screen and asked why he wears the mask. You can fool them, but you can’t fool me. No one knows you better than I do, they don’t deserve you. The truth is, you’re going to go too far and give in. Remember just how good it feels. Do it, hurt them. Just don’t take the mask off. Tell him he’s wrong.
Yes, Bray Wyatt is feuding with himself, in case you were wondering. I wonder how that match works.
Roman Reigns defeated Logan Paul to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
This was astonishingly great, one of the better WWE matches of the year. Say what you will but Logan Paul is three matches into his career as a pro wrestler and is better at this than some people are ten years in. If he isn’t rookie of the year after this, it would be a travesty. Very well paced, smart, and Paul did not look lost at all. Ended exactly when it needed to. Reigns was great. This was great!
Paul went for the one punch early, but Reigns went to the outside. Paul scored a fireman’s carry early but Reigns took him down with a punch. Reigns hit a suplex for a one count. Paul leapfrogged over Reigns and hit a hip toss, then clotheslined Reigns to the floor. Paul then hit a crossbody off the ring barricade onto Reigns.
Paul hit what actually was very much Hangman Page’s buckshot lariat for a nearfall. Paul went for a springboard but Reigns connected with a punch. Reigns connected with a back suplex then applied a sleeper.
Reigns takes Paul and hits punches in the corner before connecting with a clothesline for a nearfall. Reigns missed a charge into the corner and walked into a gutwrench suplex from Paul. Paul then hit a blockbuster for another nearfall. Paul hit the Superman punch then went for a crossbody and a standing moonsault for another nearfall.
Paul started stomping his foot in the corner like HBK, looking for the sweet chin music but Reigns countered with a uranage. Reigns went for the Superman punch but Paul hit a punch, then a Superman punch of his own for a very good nearfall. Reigns dragged himself out of the ring to recover.
On the outside, Paul started to clear the Arabic announce table as he grabbed a phone from his entourage. He took selfies and climbed to the post, then launched off with a great looking crossbody. That could have looked really dumb, but wasn’t. The Bloodline showed up and took out Paul’s entourage as Jake Paul then came out. He knocked out both Usos as Logan went to the top rope and hit a frog splash for a two count.
Solo Sikoa then came out as Jake Paul confronted him. The Usos then recovered. Logan hit a flying crossbody on the Usos. Reigns hit the Superman punch as Logan re-entered the ring, then speared Logan to retain.
This was a good show highlighted by an excellent main event. I will have a full review of the show here on this site Sunday morning, so look for extended thoughts then. But for sure check out the main event.
The following is an opinion-based preview and doesn’t reflect the opinions or viewpoints of our website.
Saturday’s WWE Crown Jewel will be the first Saudi Arabia show run by the new WWE regime, but it looks as though they will be taking the same approach as before.
Everything WWE does on a Saudi show is about spectacle, larger-than-life characters, and getting media attention. It’s the kind of environment where Omos is a bigger star than AJ Styles and solid in-ring work means little.
The Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul headliner is all about mainstream publicity, both for WWE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Paul brings a lot of eyeballs with him wherever he goes making Riyadh an ideal place to put him against Reigns. The mainstream attention is exactly what Saudi wants out of its deal with WWE.
That is what they are paying $50 million a show for and WWE is going to deliver it at Crown Jewel.
On top of the main event, there are two matches on the show that will continue WWE’s Saudi tradition of pitting big guys up against each other — a super heavyweight division of sorts that is only active on these shows. Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman vs. Omos will be added to a Saudi list that already includes the following:
Brock Lesnar defeated Roman Reigns (Greatest Royal Rumble 2018)
Tyson Fury defeated Braun Strowman via countout (Crown Jewel 2019)
Goldberg defeated Bobby Lashley (Crown Jewel 2021)
Roman Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar (Crown Jewel 2021)
Roman Reigns defeated Goldberg (Elimination Chamber 2022)
There was also Goldberg defeating the Fiend at Super ShowDown 2020 if you want to put Wyatt in this imagined division.
Other matches at this year’s Crown Jewel have had “spectacle” added to them. Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross isn’t quite a super heavyweight clash, but throwing in a steel cage stipulation adds a layer of pomp and circumstance that wasn’t there before. Bayley vs. Bianca Belair in a Last Woman Standing match will also have lots of bells and whistles attached.
It’s the same story for every Saudi show, for better or for worse. Here’s a look at Crown Jewel 2022.
Braun Strowman vs. Omos
There’s an unacknowledged dynamic to this match that involves Strowman coming to reclaim his title as the giant of WWE. On the week he was released from the company in 2021, our own Dave Meltzer reported that it was in part due to, “the feeling he was two years past his peak and he had become obsolete as the roster giant because of Omos on Raw, Commander Azeez on Smackdown, and perhaps Shanky on Raw, being on the main roster who were so much bigger than he is.”
In other words, WWE felt it had bigger giants so Strowman was no longer needed. His successors didn’t quite rise to the occasion after he left, however. Omos has done very little, Azeez was sent back to NXT and Shanky just doesn’t dance like he used to anymore. When Paul Levesque took over, putting Strowman back in the position of company giant was one of his first moves — a position that will be even more cemented when he beats Omos at Crown Jewel.
Also, this match will almost assuredly be horrendous.
Prediction: Braun Strowman
Karrion Kross vs. Drew McIntyre in a steel cage match
After losing to Reigns at Clash at the Castle and then losing to Kross in a strap match at Extreme Rules, it feels as though McIntyre could really use a win here. It seems likely he will even up this rivalry at Crown Jewel but it’s by no means a foregone conclusion.
Somewhat surprisingly, the odds for this match at Betonline.org as of this writing have McIntyre listed as only a -130 favorite. That he’s not a larger favorite perhaps owes to the fact that Levesque likes to book Kross as an unbeatable monster.
During his first run in WWE, Levesque had Kross win the NXT title in just his seventh match. He didn’t lose at all in NXT under Levesque’s watch until he had been called up to the main roster and they needed to get the belt off of him.
While McIntyre avenging his loss at Extreme Rules seems likely, it’s possible that Levesque wants to build Kross up for a match with Reigns or for another top program. This being a steel cage match does give WWE the option of having McIntyre win via escape, however, and thus keeping Kross strong by not having him get pinned.
Prediction: Drew McIntyre
The O.C. (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) vs. Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio)
For some fans, The O.C. vs. Judgment Day feud is all about the impact Bullet Club has had on the entire industry for almost a decade. It’s also a fairly important match in the history of NJPW’s NEVER Openweight Championship, but that’s another story altogether.
When WWE signed Styles, Anderson and Gallows in 2016, the idea was to capitalize off Bullet Club’s popularity. They saw just how many fans were showing up to their events with Bullet Club t-shirts and naturally decided they would like to have some of that money. They just never went anywhere with it once they had it. Now with Levesque in charge, they are getting a second crack at it.
So, it’s O.C., reunited once again, up against Balor’s new faction. There have been some references to Balor’s history in the club but it’s usually limited to him just mentioning that he was the guy who started it. It feels like they could be doing more to play off of history here, but that’s likely due to most of that history having occurred in another promotion.
Some comments by Gallows made shortly after his WWE release in 2020 on Tama Tonga’s podcast help illustrate how influential some feel Bullet Club has been:
“If there’s no Bullet Club, there’s no AEW. If there’s no Bullet Club, there’s no growth in professional wrestling. If there’s no Bullet Club, there really is no reason to have an NXT because why do you turn developmental into indie heaven and hire everybody in the business? There’s no reason to do it. Professional wrestling advanced because of what the Bullet Club was in Japan.”
So far, WWE has been unable to capture that same magic with The Club or The O.C. Perhaps Levesque will be more invested in it than Vince was, however.
Prediction: The O.C.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) defend against The Brawling Brutes (Ridge Holland & Butch)
When this match takes place, The Usos will have exactly eight days left before they tie New Day’s record as the longest-reigning WWE tag champs of all time. It feels pretty likely that they will at least still hold the belts leading up to the November 11th SmackDown.
In other words, I’m not giving the Brawling Brutes much of a shot in this one.
Just being in this match (and the payday that comes with it) is a milestone achieved for Butch and Ridge Holland, however. The Brawling Brutes have been so good as of late that they basically just turned babyface without any real angle behind it. The fans just started cheering them and then they started getting booked against heels.
This match will continue the rivalry between The Bloodline and The Brawling Brutes, so it should be interesting to see how it all plays out. It’s possible this angle leads to Sheamus getting a shot against Reigns when he returns as well.
Prediction: The Usos
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss & Asuka defend against Damage CTRL (IYO Sky & Dakota Kai)
It’s been almost two months since the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships have been back on the show but they still don’t feel important as there’s really no women’s tag team division to go along with them.
The titles have changed hands three times already since they have returned and only Sky & Kai actually feel like a real team. Alexa Bliss & Asuka were basically just thrown together, just like Aliyah & Raquel Gonzalez were.
For these titles to feel important, WWE needs to start adding some true full-time teams into the mix. Granted, Levesque is in the process of hiring back plenty of wrestlers who could help make that a reality.
I imagine the belts are going back on Damage CTRL here. If Bayley wins the title at Crown Jewel as well, then you have all three members of the group wearing gold. Meanwhile, keeping the belts on Asuka & Bliss would serve little purpose at all.
Prediction: Damage CTRL
RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair defends against Bayley in a Last Woman Standing match
The ending here should be interesting considering what happened in their ladder match at Extreme Rules. With Bliss and Asuka storyline injured, the dastardly heel faction used the numbers advantage against the champion and it seemed like Bayley would surely win. Then Belair just beat up all three of them, climbed the ladder, and won.
Now at Crown Jewel, Bliss and Asuka are back in case Belair needs backup and the odds aren’t as much in Bayley’s favor. If Bayley is going to win the title here, she’ll need to have some type of heelish plan.
Survivor Series: WarGames is just around the corner and Damage CTRL seems a likely team be entered in the women’s match. This means they are going to need a fourth for their team and that could potentially factor into the end of this match too.
Prediction: Bayley
Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley
Now that Lesnar is back, it will be interesting to see how WWE uses him. His last run was all about putting over Reigns so the company might feel the need to build him back up a little.
Lesnar is 4-1 in singles matches in Saudi, defeating Reigns, Ricochet, Cain Velasquez, and Braun Strowman. He also won the Elimination Chamber match there earlier this year. Lesnar lost at Crown Jewel last year to Reigns, and is still always a key part of WWE shows in Saudi.
Lashley hasn’t won a match in WWE’s Saudi super heavyweight division yet, losing to Strowman (Super ShowDown 2019) and to Goldberg (Crown Jewel 2021).
Lesnar still needs to avenge his loss to Lashley from the Royal Rumble earlier this year, and Crown Jewel seems like a good time to do that. This could potentially open the door for a rubber match between the two somewhere down the line as well.
Prediction: Brock Lesnar
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends against Logan Paul
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will pay $50 million for this show and what they want in return is the kind of publicity a celebrity like Paul can provide. It’s not about catering to WWE fans; it’s about putting on a show that will put eyeballs on the country.
WWE’s deal with the Kingdom (not Mike Bennett & Matt Taven) is part of Saudi Vision 2030, a program aimed at improving the country’s image in addition to diversifying its economy. The Kingdom is banking on WWE events, golf tournaments, boxing matches, and more to showcase Saudi Arabia on the world stage.
All of this is to say that the goal of WWE’s Saudi shows is far different than for a typical premium live event.
Reigns and Paul don’t need to have a good match from bell to bell. The idea will be to get a few cool-looking spots in there that can be shared on social media and thus make Crown Jewel look like a world-class event.
As for the match itself, the story they are building involves Paul having knockout power due to screws inserted into his knuckles, and the Tribal Chief not taking the match seriously at all. The most likely scenario here is that Reigns doesn’t give his challenger any credit until he is hit with a mighty blow that all of a sudden makes an upset seem possible.
In the end, however, Reigns will pull out the victory but it will be a far closer match than he had anticipated.
Logan Paul will have some backup as he takes on Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel.
It was officially confirmed at today’s pre-Crown Jewel press conference that Jake Paul will be in his brother’s corner when Logan challenges Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Crown Jewel. The pay-per-view is taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this Saturday (November 5).
Logan introduced Jake at Friday’s press conference, with Jake saying Logan will do the unthinkable by defeating Reigns. Jake compared it to him beating Anderson Silva in their boxing match last weekend.
After Jake was introduced at the press conference, Paul Heyman brought out The Usos and Solo Sikoa to join Reigns. The Usos are defending their Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles against The Brawling Brutes (Ridge Holland & Butch) at Crown Jewel.
Saturday will be Logan Paul’s third-ever professional wrestling match. He teamed with The Miz to defeat Rey & Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 38 this April and then defeated Miz in a singles match at SummerSlam.
Crown Jewel streams live on Peacock/WWE Network starting at noon Eastern time on Saturday. Here’s the updated card for the event:
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends against Logan Paul
Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley
Last Woman Standing match: Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair defends against Bayley
Steel cage match: Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross
Braun Strowman vs. Omos
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos defend against The Brawling Brutes (Ridge Holland & Butch)
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss & Asuka defend against Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai & IYO SKY)
The OC (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) vs. The Judgement Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio)
A WWE Women’s Tag Team title rematch will take place at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia this Saturday.
WWE has announced that Alexa Bliss & Asuka will make their first Women’s Tag Team title defense as they face Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai & IYO SKY) at Crown Jewel. Bliss & Asuka dethroned Kai & SKY as Women’s Tag Team Champions on last night’s episode of Raw.
After being laid out by Damage CTRL four weeks ago, Bliss & Asuka made their return to WWE television by saving Bianca Belair from a Damage CTRL beatdown on last night’s Raw. That led to Bliss & Asuka facing off with Kai & SKY in the main event.
Damage CTRL’s Bayley is challenging Belair for the Raw Women’s Championship in a Last Woman Standing match at Crown Jewel.
Belair and Bayley were at ringside for the Women’s Tag Team title match on last night’s Raw. Bayley ended up giving Belair a Bayley-to-Belly off the barricade and through a pair of tables.
The Crown Jewel main card streams live on Peacock/WWE Network starting at noon Eastern time this Saturday (November 5). Here’s the updated card for the pay-per-view:
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends against Logan Paul
Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley
Last Woman Standing match: Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair defends against Bayley
Steel cage match: Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross
Braun Strowman vs. Omos
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos defend against Ridge Holland & Butch
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss & Asuka defend against Dakota Kai & IYO SKY
The OC (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) vs. The Judgement Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio)
WWE has added two new title matches to the Saturday, November 5 Crown Jewel event.
In a bout announced during Friday’s SmackDown show, Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso will defend the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against Ridge Holland and Butch of The Brawling Brutes.
In storyline, The Usos took Sheamus of Brawling Brutes out of action on last week’s SmackDown with an attack with a steel chair.
Also added to Crown Jewel, Bianca Belair will defend the Raw Women’s Championship against Bayley of Damage CTRL in a Last Woman Standing match. Bayley defeated Belair on this week’s Raw after interference from Nikki Cross, while Belair won the prior meeting between the two in a ladder match at Extreme Rules.
Here is the updated Crown Jewel lineup:
WWE Crown Jewel, Saturday, November 5, 12 p.m. Eastern time on Peacock & WWE Network —
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Logan Paul
Last Woman Standing match for the Raw Women’s Championship: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Bayley
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship: The Usos vs. Ridge Holland & Butch
Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley
Steel Cage match: Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross
Braun Strowman vs. Omos
The OC (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) vs. The Judgement Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio)
Karl Anderson will not be defending his NEVER Openweight Championship on November 5.
NJPW had previously announced Anderson would face Hikuleo on the Battle Autumn tour stop. On WWE Raw this week, however, it was revealed that the Good Brothers will team with AJ Styles to take on Judgment Day at Crown Jewel on the same date.
In a video posted to his social media on Wednesday, Anderson says NJPW didn’t run the November 5 date by his booking agent and tag partner, Doc Gallows, first. The Good Brothers confirmed that they won’t be on the NJPW show.
“New Japan Pro Wrestling, few questions,” Gallows begins in the video. “Are we the OG Bullet Club? Yes. Are we the world-famous Good Brothers? Yes. Are we repping OC on WWE Monday Night Raw? Yes. And do all bookings still go through the Big LG when it comes to ‘Bright Lights,’ when it comes to the Good Brothers? Yes, they do.”
“You guys announced ‘Bright Lights’, ‘The Machine Gun’ Karl Anderson for a match on November 5. Guess what? We’re a little double-booked because you didn’t run it through me. So, he ain’t coming. We’re not coming unless it’s on our time.”
“New Japan Pro Wrestling, listen, I love what you’ve done for the Good Brothers through these years,” Anderson added. “But let me tell you something, I am the greatest NEVER Openweight Champion of all time. I only work when the lights are bright and November 5, we ain’t coming. We’ll come on our time. The Machine Gun will tell you when I’m coming to defend my championship.”
AEW did three title changes as part of its now annual Grand Slam show on 9/21 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, which also drew its fourth $1 million gate since late May.
While AEW will likely never top the Brodie Lee tribute show as the best episode of Dynamite in history, the combination of the title changes, five title matches, and taking advantage of the atmosphere and hot crowd made this among the best episodes in the history of the show.
Jon Moxley beat Bryan Danielson to win the AEW title and has set up defenses against Adam Page on a Tuesday, 10/18 show in Cincinnati (because TBS will be airing Major League Baseball playoffs on 10/19) and likely following up with a defense against MJF on 11/19 at Full Gear at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Page got his title shot winning a Battle Royal on the Rampage part of the taping. Either guy could have won this match and it would have been fine, although my gut felt like right now Moxley vs. MJF has a better dynamic than Danielson vs. MJF, which is the next PPV direction.
The Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match for Crown Jewel has been set.
At a press conference held in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, WWE confirmed that Roman Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal title against Logan Paul at Crown Jewel, which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 5. You can watch the press conference below:
Triple H opened the press conference, announcing the match and calling the bout a spectacle that has never been seen before, and pushed that Paul could do “the unthinkable”. Reigns then spoke, saying that he respected the following that Paul brought and could even be the third match on any show he headlines. But he won’t treat Paul like the third match on the card at Crown Jewel.
Paul responded, thanking WWE and Triple H and saying he was going to deliver a performance that no one has ever seen before. He said he found his home in WWE and called out Reigns immediately because that is what he does, mentioning his second boxing match ever was against Floyd Mayweather. He told Reigns that this may be his profession, but Crown Jewel is his match. Paul said that while Reigns was the head of the table, he was the table, and that Reigns would acknowledge him on November 5.
After some questions from reporters, Heyman attempted to close the press conference, running down Paul. Paul asked why Reigns wouldn’t say anything and allowed his mouthpiece say everything. Reigns got up and shoved Paul, leading Triple H to seperate the two. The two met face-to-face to close out the press conference.
It was reported Friday afternoon that a press conference would be held on Saturday to confirm the main event between Paul and Reigns for Crown Jewel. On SmackDown, Paul appeared and confronted the Bloodline, teasing that he may challenge Reigns for the title.
