WWE’s latest Premium Live Event is in the books. With Crown Jewel officially over, it’s time to look at the card to see where the WWE is heading for Survivor Series Season.
Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
This was a solid opening match. To quote one of my favorite Mel Brooks movies, it was ‘not thrilling, but nice.’ Although these two men are terrific in the ring, the story behind this match is lackluster.
For those not keeping up, McIntyre is still upset about losing his big opportunity at the Clash at the Castle on September 3rd, 2022. Due to this, he has been aggressive towards former Bloodline member Jey Uso and currently lives in the grey area between face and heel. Will he turn entirely to the dark side? Or will he shake off this recent streak and return to the top as a face? For fans invested in his character, this is interesting. However, the best feuds are personal, and this one didn’t have a lot of heat behind it.
Again, the match was well done, with many counters and near falls. The big excitement came after Rollins got the win with a pedigree-stomp combination. Damian Priest ran in with the Money in the Bank Briefcase, looking to cash in for a match with Rollins. Unfortunately for Priest, Sami Zayn made good on his threat to do whatever it takes to keep the Judgement Day from taking more power in the WWE.
Sami Zayn vs. The Judgement Day
On television this week, Zayn cut an emotional promo calling out the Judgement Day. Having been in the Bloodline previously, Sami knows the score all too well. This was an excellent way to keep Zayn involved in the show without throwing him into a random match.
The best parts of this storyline continued as Rhea Ripley approached a dejected Drew McIntyre backstage. The Judgement Day has been courting Drew, among others, to join their ranks for a few weeks. No words were said, but this story will likely continue into Survivor Series.
Fatal Five Way (Women’s World Championship)
This match reminds me of a Star Wars prequel film. I didn’t enjoy watching all of it, but I love the lore it adds to the characters involved. Zoe Stark got a bump from being in this, and Ripley’s title run looks much stronger with a title defense over four other women. The finish to the match was entertaining as well, with Ripley hitting a top-rope Riptide on top of Raquel, who was pinning Bayzler.
John Cena vs. Solo Sikoa
Was that John Cena’s last match? Many fans will be hoping the answer is no. Although the crowd did get several of the usual Cena highlights, this one turned into a beating by the end, with Solo taking the victory. It’s been years since Cena won a one-on-one match, and Crown Jewel felt like the exact event to give Cena a win that wouldn’t impact the overall storyline. This is what makes Solo winning that much better. This finish was a surprise and will do a lot to build credibility for the Bloodline’s enforcer.
Cena waived to the crowd after the match, potentially teasing his retirement. Fans probably hate seeing Cena lose so often at the tail end of his career, but John deserves a ton of credit for being a team player and helping to elevate younger stars.
Rey Mysterio vs. Logan Paul (United States Championship)
Mysterio is a great opponent for Paul, given his aerial offense and decades of experience. Forgive the extra editorializing, but Logan Paul is a terrible person and a scam artist. He’s also a pretty good wrestler with a massive audience in a vital demographic for the WWE. There’s also the fact that Logan’s beverage brand, Prime, is the official drink of the UFC. Given all this, I am unsurprised to see the WWE put a belt on Paul.
He’s a natural heel, given that most of his shady dealings are public knowledge. As much as I hate to admit it, Paul is a good athlete and can do amazing things in the wrestling ring. He also made a key save, helping Mysterio avoid a significant head or neck injury in a near-miss off the ropes. He won by sneaking in a brass-knuckle punch while Rey went for the 619.
Hopefully, this title run is short-lived, but for now, Logan Paul is the United States Champion.
Bianca Belair vs. Iyo Sky (Women’s Championship)
This was a solid match that was made more entertaining by the finish. Bayley interfered on Sky’s behalf, as expected. Sky again showed her displeasure at this, but she didn’t seem to mind getting help from her old friend and tag team partner, Kairi Sane, who stepped in to take out Belair. Sane and Sky celebrated in the ring while a shocked Bayley stared on from the outside.
Sane had been away for a while when Bayley took her out. Adding this to the growing tension between Bayley and Sky, we have an intriguing storyline.
Cody Rhodes vs. Damian Priest
Rhodes continues his story with a tough win over Priest. Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, and JD all came to Priest’s aid, but Jey Uso came to even the odds. Rhodes beats Priest with a CrossRhodes trifecta. Will Rhodes be moved back into the title picture for Survivor Series? Many fans are still hoping that it will be Rhodes who finally ends Roman’s Reign of Terror.
LA Knight vs. Roman Reigns (Universal Championship)
This went exactly how everyone thought it would. Knight looked great in the ring, proving he belonged in the main event scene. Reigns was bailed out by Paul Heyman early on, and Jimmy Uso saved him from certain defeat near the end.
Roman ends the show victorious, and the only remaining question is, will LA Knight get a rematch?
Final Bell
Overall, this was a decent Live Event. Not much changed despite the card boasting five title matches. The one title change that did take place was easy to see coming. Sane returning was a nice bonus, but hopefully, the WWE has more in store for fans at Survivor Series later this month.