3 WWE Superstars who will definitely not appear at Crown Jewel 2022
WWE Crown Jewel, the company's next grand spectacle in Saudi Arabia, is only days away, and the premium live event is expected to be a massive and memorable show.
Roman Reigns will defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against social media sensation Logan Paul. Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley will collide in a titanic rematch of epic proportions. Top stars like AJ Styles, Braun Strowman, Bianca Belair, Finn Balor, and Drew McIntyre are also expected to compete at the spectacle.
However, some notable superstars will not travel to Riyadh for Crown Jewel. Surprisingly, these exceptions include stars who are part of ongoing storylines. In this listicle, we list three superstars who will definitely not appear this Saturday.
#3. MVP will not be in Omos' corner for his match against Braun Strowman
.@The305MVP states that #BraunStrowman will never measure up to @TheGiantOmos, and that The Monster of all Monsters will have a surprise in store this Friday night.
#WWERaw https://t.co/aJ7YDyHCto
Two of the biggest and most formidable performers in sports entertainment will lock horns in a titanic clash as Braun Strowman and Omos battle in Saudi Arabia. This will be The Monster of all Monster's first high-profile match since his surprise return in September.
However, Omos will be in uncharted waters for his manager, MVP. The former United States Champion is not expected to accompany The Giant to ringside for his match against Strowman. The Nigerian Giant's mouthpiece will be written off the television on SmackDown to explain his absence fromom Crown Jewel.
MVP was also not in Bobby Lashley's corner for Elimination Chamber earlier this year. This is the second time he had skipped a significant premium live event in Saudi Arabia.
Nonetheless, it remains to be seen how Omos will fare in the absence of his manager, who has been instrumental in much of his success in recent months.
#2. Kevin Owens will not travel to Riyadh.
Although he hasn't been seen on television recently, Kevin Owens will definitely not be at Crown Jewel. KO was recently involved in a narrative with Sami Zayn and The Bloodline, which may have led to the former teaming up with him to face The Usos. However, those plans have been paused for the time being.
This isn't the first time Owens will not compete in Saudi Arabia. In fact, WWE once had to drop a major angle featuring him in 2019. KO was in a feud with Kofi Kingston over the top prize in May, but the feud was abruptly cut short, and Dolph Ziggler was brought in to replace The Prizefighter. Later, it was reported that the former IC Champion pulled out of the Super Show-Down.
Owens is one of several stars, including John Cena and Noam Doar, who have refused to work shows in the kingdom due to political and cultural differences. For the former Universal Champion, this bold decision is in support of his real-life best friend, Sami Zayn (more on that later).
#1. WWE fans will not see The Honorary Uce at Crown Jewel
Guys come on https://t.co/VlQpKQCb5Y
The most significant omission from Crown Jewel will is Sami Zayn. The Honorary Uce, one of the most popular and over superstars in WWE right now, will not travel to Riyadh to support Roman Reigns in his match against Logan Paul.
The unfortunate reason is entirely cultural; Zayn is of Syrian descent, and WWE has kept him out of their shows in Saudi Arabia out of respect for the kingdom. Later, it became clear that the multi-time IC Champion was not allowed to compete in Middle Eastern countries. The Honorary Uce also has little interest in competing there.
Sami Zayn's Honoray Uce gimmick and narrative with The Bloodline have gone tremendously well with the fan base. The creative team may have to find a way to explain his absence at Crown Jewel and fans will definitely miss him.