In just his third professional wrestling match, Logan Paul is challenging for the top championship in WWE.
The undisputed WWE universal championship will be on the line as Roman Reigns vs. Paul headlines Crown Jewel on Saturday. The event is being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of WWE’s long-term business relationship with the Saudi government.
Reigns vs. Paul is a match that would have been inconceivable less than a year ago. On paper, the idea of a social media influencer having the chance to end the most dominant title run in modern WWE history is absurd. But Paul performed so well in his first two matches that—whether they liked Paul beforehand—WWE fans have developed a respect for him. Like other recent celebrity-turned-wrestler success stories Pat McAfee and Bad Bunny, Paul has shown that he cares about wrestling and isn’t just in WWE for a payday. He’s taken his training seriously and has worked hard to have good matches. Facing the biggest star in WWE is a huge step up in competition, but Reigns vs. Paul will be a spectacle worth watching.
WWE has done a good job of building Paul up for this match. Instead of presenting him as equal to Reigns, they’ve used Paul’s boxing experience to tease that it would take only “one lucky shot” for him to become champion. But even with as much mainstream publicity as it would generate, there should be no serious thought given to Paul dethroning Reigns. This isn’t the time for Reigns to lose the title, and Paul isn’t the right person to beat him. So much equity has been built up over the two-plus years that Reigns has been champion. Whenever Reigns does lose the title, it’s going to be such a huge moment. The person who defeats him should be someone WWE can build the company around, not a celebrity who only occasionally wrestles.
Crown Jewel will be the fourth WWE pay-per-view since Paul “Triple H” Levesque was put in charge of creative, but it’s a show that feels like it belongs in the Vince McMahon era. WWE has relied on its usual Saudi show format, prioritizing special-attraction matches over all else. With WWE receiving an estimated $50 million each time it holds an event in Saudi Arabia, it’s not surprising that the company’s new leadership remains committed to the Saudi partnership. But ignoring the Saudi government’s human rights abuses will be a stain on the new regime just like it was on the old one. It’s a morally bankrupt deal that puts profit ahead of doing what’s right.
Crown Jewel streams live on Peacock/WWE Network starting at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday. In addition to the eight matches scheduled for the show, there will also be an appearance by Bray Wyatt. Here’s a full rundown of the card, along with predictions for each match:
Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul for the undisputed WWE universal championship
This should be another great in-ring showing by Paul. It has the potential to be one of WWE’s most memorable matches of the year. Paul proved at WrestleMania and SummerSlam that he’s capable of thriving under the pressure of wrestling on a big stage. The best coaches in WWE are working with Paul and preparing him to wrestle. All of the moves planned for this match will be things he’s practiced and is already comfortable doing.
Jake Paul will likely be ringside at Crown Jewel to help his brother deal with The Usos and Solo Sikoa. With Jake neutralizing The Bloodline, Logan should come as close as possible to winning before Reigns is finally able to put him away.
Prediction: Roman Reigns retains
Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley
Working with Brock Lesnar brings out the best in Bobby Lashley. It’s an obvious pairing: two freak athletes who both have backgrounds in mixed martial arts. But standing toe-to-toe with Lesnar and feeling like his equal really highlights what a star Lashley is.
When they faced off at this year’s Royal Rumble, Lashley defeated Lesnar after interference by Roman Reigns. Their rivalry was then rekindled when Lesnar attacked Lashley on Raw last month. The beatdown led to Lashley losing the United States championship to Seth Rollins.
The most exciting outcome here would be Lashley defeating Lesnar again and being built up for an undisputed title shot against Reigns, but that’s not going to happen. Lesnar needs the victory more. He hasn’t won a televised match since the last time WWE was in Saudi Arabia in February.
Prediction: Brock Lesnar wins
Last Woman Standing match: Bianca Belair vs. Bayley for the Raw women’s championship
Just like at Extreme Rules, Bianca Belair vs. Bayley is the hardest match to predict on the Crown Jewel card. If Bayley is going to lose again, this match probably shouldn’t even be happening. Belair overcame Bayley and the rest of Damage CTRL on her own to retain the Raw women’s championship in a ladder match at Extreme Rules. Her victory was as definitive as possible. Bayley got some of her heat back by later defeating Belair in a nontitle bout, but WWE hasn’t done enough to generate interest in this rematch.
Bayley winning the Raw women’s championship would add a lot of credibility to Damage CTRL. We’re just three weeks away from Survivor Series, where Damage CTRL will likely be the heel team in the women’s WarGames match. Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky could help Bayley defeat Belair in Saudi Arabia, with the Last Woman Standing stipulation meaning that Belair lost her title without actually being pinned.
But as much sense as that would make, it’s hard to see WWE taking the Raw women’s title off Belair before WrestleMania season. WWE can still set up a WarGames match by having Alexa Bliss and Asuka thwart Damage CTRL’s interference, stopping Bayley from being able to win the title.
Prediction: Bianca Belair retains
Braun Strowman vs. Omos
If there was ever a match that epitomized what WWE is looking for on its Saudi shows, this is it. The monster Braun Strowman will face the giant Omos in a matchup of two larger-than-life wrestlers. The match won’t be very good in the ring, but Strowman and Omos have both been presented as completely dominant forces heading into Crown Jewel. Defeating Omos will reestablish Strowman as the one true monster in WWE
Prediction: Braun Strowman wins
Steel cage match: Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross
After being pepper-sprayed by Scarlett at Extreme Rules, McIntyre will get another shot at Karrion Kross on Saturday, this time inside of a steel cage. McIntyre was on the verge of winning his strap match against Karrion Kross until being blinded by Scarlett. Crown Jewel needs to be where McIntyre’s redemption story begins. Three straight high-profile losses on PPV would be overkill.
Prediction: Drew McIntyre wins
The OC (AJ Styles, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson) vs. The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor, Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio)
Re-signing Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson was a no-brainer for WWE’s new regime. Like so many people who were let go during the company’s 2020 and ’21 roster cuts, they never should have been released in the first place. There should always be room on your roster for an established tag team like the Good Brothers. That’s especially true given the history they have with both AJ Styles and Finn Bálor, which dates back to when they were members of Bullet Club in New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Gallows and Anderson have reunited with Styles to help him combat The Judgment Day. Either faction winning at Crown Jewel would be an acceptable outcome, but The OC probably shouldn’t lose their first match since Gallows’s and Anderson’s return. It will be interesting to see who joins The OC’s side to take care of their Rhea Ripley problem. The Judgment Day still have the numbers advantage right now with Ripley at ringside.
Prediction: The OC win
The Usos vs. The Brawling Brutes (Ridge Holland and Butch) for the undisputed WWE tag team titles
The dynamic between The Usos and Sami Zayn has been the best thing on WWE television in recent memory. Zayn becoming the Honorary Uce—with Roman Reigns accepting him into The Bloodline despite Jey Uso’s disdain for Zayn—has been incredible. There are so many places the story line could go, but the best end point would be Zayn and Kevin Owens defeating The Usos at WrestleMania to win the tag team titles.
For that to happen, The Usos can’t lose their titles at Crown Jewel. It’s a lock that they’ll defeat Ridge Holland and Butch, but this should still be a really good match. It will continue the issues between The Bloodline and Brawling Brutes ahead of a potential WarGames clash.
Prediction: The Usos retain
Alexa Bliss and Asuka vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky) for the WWE women’s tag team titles
Just five days after winning the women’s tag team titles, Alexa Bliss and Asuka will face off with Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky in a rematch. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the titles go back to Kai and Sky here. Damage CTRL can’t lose both of their championship matches at Crown Jewel.
Prediction: Damage CTRL win
More From Wrestling Observer:
