5 ways WWE Crown Jewel 2023 made history
WWE Crown Jewel 2023 was a huge show that featured a cocktail of memorable moments. While legends passed the torch, a new champion was crowned, heel turns were teased, and so much more. While it may not have been the best premium live event of the year, the Saudi Arabia event certainly delivered a great deal of thrills.
It also made history in multiple ways, as Saudi shows tend to always do because of the Stamford-based company's short history in the Kingdom. Various firsts were achieved in the Mohammed Abdu Arena, some bigger than others.
As we move on to the road to Survivor Series, let's reflect on five ways WWE Crown Jewel 2023 made history.
#5: Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre was the first World Heavyweight Championship defense in WWE Crown Jewel history
The World Heavyweight Championship was reintroduced to WWE at Night of Champions 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Seth Rollins defeated AJ Styles to become the inaugural titleholder and has since been ever-present. The Visionary has defended the championship on every premium live event since then, creating a bunch of firsts for it at each of them.
WWE Crown Jewel 2023 was the latest event to feature its inaugural World Heavyweight Title defense. It was a spectacular defense, which certainly stood to the expectations of the fans. The incredible story told by Rollins and Drew McIntyre and the cash-in drama that followed were absolutely worthy of the historic occasion.
#4: Solo Sikoa had his first singles premium live event match at WWE Crown Jewel 2023
WWE Crown Jewel 2023 was a huge night for many, but probably none more so than for Solo Sikoa. Not only was he trusted with sharing the ring with the "Greatest of all Time," John Cena, but he was given that responsibility in his first-ever singles match on a main roster premium live event.
The Bloodline's Enforcer delivered, having a really good match with Cena and winning in a vicious fashion. This was a potentially star-making night for the Samoan and one that he will probably remember for the rest of his career for not just one but two reasons, and the second reason could be Sikoa possibly breaking away from the shadow of Roman Reigns.
#3: John Cena made his first Crown Jewel appearance
John Cena was such a ubiquitous presence in WWE for so long that all his milestones nowadays have to do with longevity or records. It is thus even more historic when, 21 years into his legendary career, The Cenation Leader achieves a first. That is exactly what happened at Crown Jewel 2023 when he made his first appearance in the event's five-year history.
The Riyadh crowd was vocal for The Cenation Leader, and he looked better than he had in ages, but that is where the festivities stopped for him. Cena's night ended in brutal defeat, with Solo Sikoa delivering over a dozen Samoan Spikes to the 16-time World Champion and probably writing him off for a while. Nonetheless, that was one more crowd that got to see Big Match John for the first time, and that was indeed historic.
It is worth noting that stars like JD McDonagh, Zoey Stark, and most of all, Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn were making their first bow at the annual Saudi Spectacular.
#2: LA Knight shone in his first world championship match as a main roster superstar
Another star who was making his first appearance in Saudi Arabia at Crown Jewel 2023 was LA Knight. WWE's resident Megastar had never performed in the desert nation, much less the event itself, making the night even more historic for him. However, the most memorable thing about it was the fact that it was his first world title match since joining the main roster.
Knight stepped in the ring with the greatest star of his generation and held his own ground, proving to all the fans watching that he could compete in the main event scene. It was a historic night for his career, one which could launch him into the stratosphere if capitalized upon correctly. In the meantime, it will be remembered as the greatest night in the career of the Megastar.
#1: Logan Paul won his first championship in WWE at Crown Jewel 2023
Since Logan Paul's debut match in WWE, he has never been shy about his intent to win championships in the company. In his quest for gold, Paul challenged Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2022 and participated in the 2023 Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank matches. While he was a highlight in all three of those matches, he did not achieve his ambition, coming up short in all three contests.
At Crown Jewel 2023, Paul finally did it, dethroning Rey Mysterio to become the new United States Champion. After an incredible high-flying spectacle, the Maverick made history, defeating the WWE Hall of Famer after hitting the latter with brass knuckles. The ultimate influencer has overachieved at every turn, and in just his eighth-ever match, he wrote himself forever into the history of WWE as a champion.
What was your favorite moment of Crown Jewel 2023? Sound off in the comments section below!