Ranking the buildup to each match at WWE Crown Jewel 2022
WWE Crown Jewel 2022 is just over 48 hours away, and its match card has taken shape nicely. The show promises grudge matches, championship pursuits and giant collisions for the ever-vocal Riyadh crowd, along with a Bray Wyatt appearance shrouded in mystery. Seven matches have been booked for the event, with twenty competitors set to be in action.
The buildups to these bouts have varied stakes, durations and buzz levels attached to them. Some revolve around titles and supremacy, others more personal and intense, and yet others a mix of both. When all is said and done in Riyadh, there will be some bruised bodies and even more bruised egos.
Before we take in WWE Crown Jewel 2022, let's rank how well each match on the Saudi spectacle has captured the imagination with its buildup.
#7: Braun Strowman vs. Omos is the kind of titanic clash that has come to define WWE Crown Jewel
It's Monster vs. Giant this Saturday at #WWECrownJewel!
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The clash between Braun Strowman and Omos at WWE Crown Jewel 2022 has been built on a simple but effective premise. Strowman is a monster and Omos is a giant, so instead of fighting smaller men, why don't they pick on each other? After all, it's not everyday that the two giants face off for the first time ever on a big stage like WWE Crown Jewel.
While the premise was straightforward, the buildup has been short, uneventful and a tad underwhelming. Apart from the barbs traded by MVP and Strowman, the two behemoths have had one brief physical confrontation in which Omos came out on top. The lack of physical contact may be by design to leave fans yearning for more, but it has resulted in a lack of hype around the bout.
#6: The Usos vs. The Brawling Brutes: WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championship Match
The Usos are set to defend their Undisputed Tag Team titles against Butch and Ridge Holland at WWE Crown Jewel 2022 in one of the last matches added to the card. The champions have been involved in multiple storylines recently, chief among them the Sami Zayn-Jey Uso rivalry. They ran afoul of The Brutes when they injured Sheamus on SmackDown, resulting in a match where Butch and Holland defeated Zayn and Solo Sikoa.
After The Brutes' victory, authority figure Adam Pearce granted them a shot at the Undisputed Tag Titles at WWE Crown Jewel. Butch and Holland vie for their first taste of gold on the main roster, while The Usos seek to remain on course to break New Day's record of 483 consecutive days as champions. The match has considerable stakes for both teams and could have Survivor Series implications. However, the direct interaction between the competitors has been minimal in the weeks leading up to the show.
#5: Karrion Kross vs. Drew McIntyre: Steel cage match
Karrion Kross and Drew McIntyre have been at each other's throats since the road to Clash At The Castle. The Herald of Doomsday has been a thorn in The Scottish Warrior's side, repeatedly ambushing the latter with sneak attacks. McIntyre has since wisened up to Kross's antics, executing a few attacks of his own in the saga.
Kross prevailed in their Strap match at Extreme Rules due to interference from Scarlett, so a steel cage match was the logical next step. The buildup to this match has been fleshed out longer and better than most on the card, but it has lacked the stakes and spectacle of some of its counterparts. Karrion Kross has been established as a top-level threat on SmackDown because of it, but it has rarely been the highlight of the show.
#4: Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul: WWE Undisputed Universal championship
The buildup to the Undisputed Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Logan Paul has been unorthodox. From the boxing-style press conference in which it was announced to the social media-heavy promotion surrounding it, it has been a breath of fresh air. However, it has been largely uneventful on WWE programming.
The part-time schedules of both Paul and Reigns have affected the continuity of their rivalry, and it has been overshadowed by the brilliance of Sami Zayn and Jey Uso. Most crucially, not enough has been done to build The Maverick as a credible threat to The Tribal Chief's historic reign. Paul may have "One Lucky Punch" and steel plates in his fist, but The Bloodline's presence in Saudi Arabia means the result of the match is hardly in doubt.
However, with Jake Paul's appearance being teased, the buildup could get a last-minute shot in the arm in the form of a brotherly backup for The Maverick.
#3: The O.C. vs. The Judgment Day: Six-man tag team match
The buildup to The OC's match against Judgment Day has been one of the highlights of RAW these past few weeks. The feud has had a bit of everything, from The Good Brothers' epic return to the long shared history between Finn Balor and The O.C. Then there's X-Factor Rhea Ripley, who has been the ace up Judgment Day's sleeve since joining the group.
The six-man tag match may not involve gold but promises great in-ring action and continuation of one of the longest-running storylines in the entire business. It's also likely to set up a Survivor Series clash involving both factions and introduce a surprise female star backing The OC against the interference of Ripley. It has definitely been one of the better-built matches on the WWE Crown Jewel 2022 card.
#2: Bianca Belair vs. Bayley: Last Woman Standing Match for the RAW Women's championship
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...and this was just a taste of what's to come this Saturday when @BiancaBelairWWE and @itsBayleyWWE battle in a Last Woman Standing Match at #WWECrownJewel https://t.co/HFJwihpAWU
Bianca Belair's feud with Bayley has been ongoing since the latter returned from injury at Summerslam. The duo have clashed in both singles and tag team action, trading wins in an evenly matched battle for supremacy. Their last title contest ended with The EST retaining in a historic ladder match at Extreme Rules.
The Last Woman Standing match at WWE Crown Jewel 2022 is set to be the latest in a saga that stretches back to the final months of Bayley's pre-injury run. It will almost certainly involve Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai, Asuka and Alexa Bliss, who have dominated the women's tag team title scene in recent months. With a title at stake, another title scene being involved, and a war games match to potentially set up, this buildup has been well thought out.
#1: Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley is the best built match on the WWE Crown Jewel 2022 card
LESNAR LASHLEY II
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There's not much to say about the buildup to Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley at WWE Crown Jewel. Two of the most dominant superstars in WWE history have unfinished business from their initial dream match. They don't like one another, and would each love to prove that they're the better man in an uninterrupted, one-on-one battle.
Both men are at peak popularity and are still in tip-top shape, and their locker room-clearing brawls on RAW were instantly iconic. More than anything else on the card, fans can't wait to see them trade hurt locks, suplexes, spears and F5s with nothing but personal supremacy on the line. The buildup to their match has been extremely compelling and awe-inspiring despite being executed in a simple and straightforward fashion.