This week in WWE history: NXT invades SmackDown, top star becomes The Best In The World (October 30-November 5)
WWE continues to build momentum. They just held their big-time Crown Jewel event, which featured a huge return and several major title matches. With the Saudi Arabia show now behind them, the company will look ahead to the future.
The Survivor Series event is set to take place later this month. From there, the 2024 Royal Rumble will be in January, and World Wrestling Entertainment will march forward on The Road To WrestleMania. Needless to say, there's a lot to be excited about.
While there's plenty to enjoy with the modern product, some fans prefer re-living the past. They may prefer the nostalgic memories of their youth or even a bygone era that they weren't initially fans of.
Regardless of why they may prefer looking back at wrestling history, they're in luck! Sportskeeda offers a weekly retrospective that looks back at what helped turn World Wrestling Entertainment into the juggernaut it has become. Not every part of history is necessarily positive, but it helped build what fans love today. What went down this week in history?
Below are five key events that happened this week in WWE history.
#5. Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks main evented Hell in a Cell on October 30, 2016
WWE held the Hell in a Cell event on October 30, 2016, at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The program was presented by the Monday Night RAW brand, and around 16,000 fans were in attendance.
As is typical with this-then yearly event, the show featured multiple Hell in a Cell Matches. Perhaps the most special saw Sasha Banks defend her RAW Women's Championship against Charlotte Flair. In the end, Flair won the bout after around 22 minutes.
This match was particularly special for a few reasons. For starters, it was the first-ever Women's Hell in a Cell Match. The bout between The Queen and The Boss was also the very first Premium Live Event main evented by women for a major main roster show.
#4. Natalya and Lacey Evans made history at WWE Crown Jewel on October 31, 2019
While Crown Jewel 2023 aired yesterday, WWE hosted the second-ever Crown Jewel on October 31, 2019. The big show was held at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Prior to this show, women hadn't ever competed at a WWE event in Saudi Arabia. Things changed on that night, however, as wrestling veteran Natalya went one-on-one with Lacey Evans live in Riyadh. Their bout lasted about seven minutes total, with Natalya winning via submission.
While their match wasn't anything particularly special in terms of action, it was a big moment for women all over the world. Since then, women have been regularly featured in the company's Saud Arabia shows, with the latest event held there having featured around ten female stars.
#3. Ric Flair and Triple H wrestled in a Steel Cage Match at Taboo Tuesday on November 1, 2005
WWE held Taboo Tuesday on November 1, 2005, at the iPayOne Center in San Diego, California. Around 6,000 fans were in attendance for what was the final Taboo Tuesday event to date.
Like with the prior year's show, the theme was that it was WWE's most interactive event. Fans vote on match types, and competitors selected for specific bouts. For example, Triple H and Ric Flair battled over the Intercontinental Championship.
Fans could choose between a Submission Match, a standard bout, or a Steel Cage Match. The physical bout was a brutal one that lasted over 20 minutes, with The Nature Boy surprisingly winning by escaping the cage.
#2. NXT invaded SmackDown on November 1, 2019
A very special episode of WWE SmackDown took place on November 1, 2019. The show was held in Buffalo, New York, and featured a smaller-than-usual and more exhausted SmackDown roster thanks to Crown Jewel having taken place in Saudi Arabia the prior day.
That didn't stop the show from being special, however. Ahead of Survivor Series, which featured numerous RAW vs. SmackDown vs. NXT matches, the black & gold brand invated Friday Night SmackDown.
Triple H led the charge with numerous stars from the brand, including Shayna Baszler, Rhea Ripley, Adam Cole, Matt Riddle, and Tommaso Ciampa, among others. The main event featured Daniel Bryan and Cole clashing, ending a memorable night on a high note.
#1. Shane McMahon became The Best In The World at Crown Jewel on November 2, 2018
The first-ever Crown Jewel event was presented by WWE on November 2, 2018. It was the second major Premium Live Event in Saudi Arabia and was held at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The bout is perhaps best remembered for the disastrous tag team match between D-Generation X and The Brothers Of Destruction. Beyond that, WWE fans may best remember the show for crowning "The Best In The World."
A World Cup Tournament was held at the show and leading up to the event. The finals was meant to be The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler, but The A-Lister was hurt. Shane McMahon filled in and quickly beat a battle-tested and exhausted Ziggler. He was then crowned "The Best In The World."