4 of the biggest questions from WWE Crown Jewel 2023
WWE Crown Jewel 2023 is in the history books! With a stacked card loaded with talent, the Premium Live Event was expected to be memorable and noteworthy.
Although some booking decisions received mixed reviews, WWE put together a solid show in Riyadh last night that set the tone for the final two months of programming in the calendar.
With quite a few bold booking decisions and some surprises, some questions arose upon the conclusion of WWE Crown Jewel 2023.
#4. Is The Miz officially a babyface?
This past week on Monday Night RAW, Gunther and Imperium attacked The Miz after The A-Lister expressed interest in restoring prestige to the Intercontinental Championship. The crowd rallied behind the veteran, but The Ring General and his comrades beat down The Awesome One.
Some seeds of a face turn were sown on RAW, and WWE Crown Jewel 2023 may have solidified the character change. The Miz hosted a special edition of The Miz TV and invited Ibrahim Al-Hajjaj, a Saudi comedian and celebrity, to the show.
Grayson Waller attempted to hijack the show and steal the spotlight. Waller took things too far by putting his hands on Hajjaj, forcing The Awesome One to intervene and hit the Skull-Crushing Finale. The Saudi comedian followed it up with the People's Elbow.
The Miz has always excelled as a natural heel, but he has had decent success as a babyface. Is WWE committing to him as a face at the tail-end of his career? More so, if the character change is complete, will this be a passing run or a long-term one?
#3. Does WWE have a long-term plan with Logan Paul as US Champion?
Last night at WWE Crown Jewel 2023, Logan Paul did the unthinkable. A part-time celebrity star with only a handful of matches, Paul was still considered a rookie, especially compared to the veteran Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio, he was up against.
However, he removed all doubts and shut down all critics by defeating Mysterio to win the United States Title. It seems odd to hand a secondary, work-horse title to a celebrity who makes limited appearances, but Triple H booked the upset and endorsed The Maverick publicly on social media.
SmackDown already has a part-time World Champion in Roman Reigns. Having another one on the same brand does not seem to be a favorable move. Fortunately, Paul may transition into a full-time star for the foreseeable future.
Either way, it remains unclear if Hunter has a long-term plan with Logan Paul as US Champion.
#2. Did Solo Sikoa end John Cena's wrestling career at WWE Crown Jewel 2023?
In a dominating, statement-making performance, Solo Sikoa defeated John Cena at WWE Crown Jewel 2023 after delivering ten Samoan Spikes to "The Greatest of All Time."
After the devastating loss, a humbled Cena rose to his feet and soaked the adulation of the live crowd chanting, "Thank You, Cena." The Champ received a massive standing ovation that felt more like an emotional send-off.
It seems as if his current run is over, but the future seems unclear for the 16-time world champion. Before the show, he repeatedly acknowledged that he hadn't won a singles match in over 2000 days. With the build, it felt as if Cena was going to end that unfortunate streak.
Unfortunately, a young Sikoa had other plans. The Leader of Cenation's career is winding down, but let's hope we see a bit more of him in the ring before he rides off into the sunset for good.
#1. Did WWE Crown Jewel 2023 mark the end of "The Yeah Movement?"
The main event of WWE Crown Jewel 2023 saw Roman Reigns continue his dominant reign with a victory over LA Knight. The Bloodline helped The Tribal Chief to another important win, which may have halted the rise of the fastest-rising star in SmackDown history.
Defeating Reigns seemed like an impossible task, but Knight had a decent shot. With a rising stock accompanied by serious momentum, The Megastar was on the brink of breaking out as a top star in the industry. A win over Roman Reigns would have cemented his meteoric rise.
The loss seriously damaged Knight's momentum, and the recovery phase may prove a little arduous. The time was ripe to capitalize on the SmackDown Superstar's popularity, but Triple H had other plans.
No one knows what's next for LA Knight, but "The Yeah Movement" seems to be in an unfavorable position after WWE Crown Jewel 2023.