Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul and 3 other best WWE Crown Jewel matches of all time
WWE Crown Jewel takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this Saturday. With several blockbuster encounters announced for the premium live event, it is expected to be a thrilling event.
On this year's card, we will witness some of the best matches that the company has to offer, including two world championship matches. Seth Rollins will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre. On the other hand, Roman Reigns is all set to defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Title against LA Knight. John Cena will also be in action as he will face Bloodline's Solo Sikoa.
Over the previous four installments of the premium live event, fans have been treated to some amazing wrestling bouts. Among the other scheduled encounters, we have much to live up to regarding the stellar bouts we've seen over the years.
On that note, let's look at four of the best WWE Crown Jewel matches ever.
Disclaimer: This list is not exhaustive and solely expresses the author's views.
#4. Bianca Belair (c) vs. Bayley in a Last Woman Standing match for the RAW Women's Title (WWE Crown Jewel 2022)
Following a well-earned win over Becky Lynch at SummerSlam 2022, then RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair kickstarted a lengthy program with the returning Bayley and newly-formed Damage CTRL trio.
The Belair-Bayley saga concluded at WWE Crown Jewel 2022 with one of the most memorable women's wrestling bouts in recent memory. In an innovative Last Woman Standing match, the two Superstars stole the show.
The defining aspect of this hellacious bout was not its sheer brutality but the creativity and innovation. During the early stages of the encounter, Bayley sandwiched the champion between the steel steps and the ring apron to incapacitate her for the ten-count.
Later, The Role Model also trapped Belair in an equipment box, hoping to keep her down for ten. However, The EST proved to be the more creative competitor.
Belair crushed Bayley with a KOD onto the ladder. She then trapped the challenger between the wedged ladder and the bottom rope, keeping her down for the ten count.
Kudos must also be given to both women for putting on a clinic in Saudi Arabia in different, unusual attires.
#3. Big E (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the WWE
Championship (WWE Crown Jewel 2021)
Big E reached the pinnacle of his career when he successfully cashed in on Bobby Lashley to win the WWE Championship in September 2021. However, an eager and determined Drew McIntyre almost immediately called for the new champion as they collided at Crown Jewel next month.
This was E's toughest challenge in his relatively short reign for The Scottish Warrior, and put the champion to the test in an exhilarating, fast-paced bout.
Each man dug deep into their bag of tricks in this evenly-matched bout with several near falls. The New Day member took the Glasgow Kiss, Future Shock DDT, and the Claymore. As McIntyre went for another Claymore, the WWE Champion avoided to hit a second Big Ending to retain the title.
#2. Roman Reigns (c) vs. Logan Paul for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title (WWE Crown Jewel 2022)
The main event of last year's WWE Crown Jewel received enormous hype. Logan Paul, a rookie in pro wrestling and a social media sensation, set out to take away the Undisputed WWE Universal Title from Roman Reigns- the most dominant champion of the modern era.
At first, it felt like a joke, but Paul had shown the threat the"one lucky punch" posed for The Tribal Chief. There were some concerns about The Maverick's inexperience. However, he again succeeded expectations in one of Reigns' greatest title defenses.
Considering the bout featured Logan Paul, there were several viral moments. The Maverick put Reigns through the announce table with a Frog Splash. He very conveniently filmed the entire scene.
Reigns also caught Paul off a Springboard assault with a thunderous uppercut, a counter that quickly became a fixture in the meme culture. The YouTube sensation notoriously landed that "one lucky shot" for a near fall. The Bloodline and Jake Paul also ran interference as chaos broke out at ringside.
However, one devastating Spear was enough to keep Paul down for the pinfall in the match of the night.
#1. Edge vs. Seth Rollins in a Hell in a Cell match (WWE Crown Jewel 2021)
WWE Crown Jewel 2021 had its fair share of amazing matches. Goldberg vs. Bobby Lashley in a No Holds Barred match succeeded expectations, and Big E vs. Drew McIntyre was a well-executed competitive bout. However, neither match was good, as Edge vs. Seth Rollins inside Hell in a Cell.
This was voted "Match of the Year" on WWE's official website, and for good reason. Two masters of storytelling, The Rated-R Superstar and The Visionary, took brutality and malice to another level in their rubber match inside the Devil's Playground.
At one point, it looked like Rollins nearly broke Edge's back. The Visionary put The Hall of Famer through the table with a Sunset Bomb from atop the ladder. Nevertheless, the climax of the encounter was memorable.
After locking Rollins in a pipe-assisted Crossface, Edge put his foe away with an emphatic Stomp. This was an excellent way to cap off a memorable feud that spanned seven years.