WWE Crown Jewel- 4 Things we learned
The WWE Universe is still buzzing following Crown Jewel. Riyadh witnessed an incredible evening of fantastic storytelling and good in-ring action.
Roman Reigns continued his historic reign as he defeated crowd-favorite Logan Paul in the main event. The women made history as Bianca Belar was the last woman standing in her hellacious encounter with Bayley. Brock Lesnar "survived" Bobby Lashley by pinning him least convincingly.
On that note, let's look at four things we learned at Crown Jewel.
#4 WWE continued its habit of booking controversial finishes in big matches
There were two encounters at WWE Crown Jewel that had confusing endings, which agitated quite a few fans on social media. The opening clash between Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar had the most perplexing finish possible, and Drew McIntyre and Karrion Kross closed their rivalry with a flat conclusion.
The All-Mighty dominated The Beast Incarnate for most of the match. Towards the closing moments, he locked in The Hurt Lock. Struggling desperately to escape, Lesnar kicked off the top turnbuckle to topple over and pin Lashley, whose shoulders were down on the mat.
The former US Champion was enraged, and the crowd seemed baffled by the conclusion, reacting with weak applause. Lashley assaulted Lesnar and nearly put his rival to sleep. The finish did neither man good nor bad and hence, felt relatively meaningless.
As for Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross, their Steel Cage match had some incredible in-ring action and drama. However, the ending raised a few eyebrows. The Scottish Warrior struck a Claymore, but Scarlett Bordeaux locked the door and kept the keys to herself.
The former WWE Champion climbed over the walls of the cage while Scarlett, initially hesitant and slow, opened the door and tried to drag Kross out. In the end, McIntyre's feet touched the floor, but his opponent was not far behind. Their Steel Cage encounter was billed as the climax. However, the finish wasn't convincing and left much to be desired.
#3 Bianca Belair is the top star in RAW's Women's Division
WWE has a highly talented female division dominated by Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair. The latter two are out of action, allowing under-utilized stars like Liv Morgan to step up to the plate. However, one woman has effectively become the top female wrestler on RAW and the "number two" of the division behind Rousey: Bianca Belair.
The EST of WWE proved her mettle once again under the bright lights of Mrsool Park in Riyadh. In a brutal, historic affair, Bianca Belair and Bayley punished each other mercilessly throughout the stadium. Given the latter's success since her return, she could've walked away with the RAW Women's Championship.
However, it wasn't Bayley's night to win. Belair executed a KOD on top of a steel chair to incapacitate her opponent and become the last woman standing.
Doubts were creeping into everyone's mind. They thought Belair's days atop the division were numbered, but The EST proved she was here to stay.
#2 Braun Strowman is "The Monster of All Monsters"
Braun Strowman makes an emphatic statement after his victory over @TheGiantOmos at #WWECrownJewel
@Adamscherr99 https://t.co/B83rowuagX
It is seldom a sight for someone to physically undermine Braun Strowman and stare down at him, but Omos had the attributes to achieve both. The Nigerian Giant is a physical specimen and was the only true "giant" in the absence of Strowman. The former Universal Champion's return challenged the Nigerian's claim.
After a decent build, Omos and Strowman finally collided in a titanic clash of epic proportions at WWE Crown Jewel. The Nigerian Giant made an example out of the former Wyatt Family member, tossing him around and dominating him convincingly.
However, Strowman fought back and hit a Running Powerslam out-of-nowhere to secure the most significant victory of his second WWE run. The win established him as Omos' superior and the true "Monster of All Monsters" in professional wrestling.
#1 Logan Paul proved that he belongs in WWE
WHAT. A. FROG. SPLASH.
@LoganPaul #WWECrownJewel https://t.co/W3IFxkz97q
In the build-up to the match, Logan Paul claimed three things: all his doubters would acknowledge him, he would deliver the performance of a lifetime, and try to land one "lucky punch" at Roman Reigns. After the dust settled, the 27-year-old social media sensation ticked all three boxes off his checklist when he took The Tribal Chief to the limit.
From two well-executed Superman punches to a Frog Splash through the announce table, Paul dug deep into his arsenal, which was too diverse by celebrity standards, and scored several near-falls in the match-up. This was not a cakewalk for Roman Reigns, who knew he was in a fight when The Maverick struck him with a stiff punch.
Many on Twitter called Paul's performance the best one by a celebrity, surpassing the fantastic show Bad Bunny put on at WrestleMania 37. He may have lost, but he won thousands of fans over with an endearing effort.