Bobby Lashley went into the match against Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel as a babyface but things changed at the show. The All Mighty attacked The Beast Incarnate after a controversial finish to the match, leaving fans surprised. It appears that even Lashley himself is not sure why he did it.
Vic Joseph tried to get some answers from Lashley after the bout in a digital exclusive interview. He asked about the attack on the former Universal Champion. Replying to it, Bobby explained that it was the match he was supposed to win and he doesn’t know what he will do now:
“Why did I attack him? Cause I was ready to go to war. I was ready to die out there. There is not a tomorrow for me. There is not a day after tomorrow. There is a now.” said Bobby Lashley, “That was the biggest challenge that I had, was beating Brock. That’s what people had been talking about for years and I went out there and failed.
That’s what you wanna hear? That’s what you want me to tell you? I failed. That’s what happened, I failed. So back to the drawing board, or what? Quit? Give up? What do I do? That was the task. That was the match that I was supposed to win. And then now what?”
The ending of the bout suggests that we haven’t seen the last of Bobby Lashley vs Brock Lesnar. Though if the post-match interview is any indication, we might see the roles being reversed when these two go up against each other the next time.
Dakota Kai and IYO SKY are once again the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions as they dethroned Alexa Bliss and Asuka.
The title change happened at the WWE Crown Jewel premium live event from Saudi Arabia. This was a rematch that saw Kai and SKY dominate the major of the match until Bliss got the hot tag and cleared house.
It looked like Bliss was on her way to retaining the titles, but Nikki Cross appeared from nowhere to hit a DDT from the top rope to Bliss, allowing Kai to pin her for the win. The referee didn’t see the outside interference because the referee was busy dealing with a brawl between Asuka and SKY.
Bliss and Asuka won the titles during this week’s Raw, in what was Asuka’s first televised match in close to two months. It marked an important milestone for Asuka and Bliss as it was both women’s third reign as Tag Champions (albeit with different partners) and the third partner for Asuka, who previously held gold with KAIRI and Charlotte Flair.
Kai and SKY were champions for 49 days before the title change happened on Monday’s Raw.
What are your thoughts on Kai and SKY winning back the Women’s Tag Team Titles? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.
Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley squared off in the ring for the second time only in their careers.
The match was booked at the WWE Crown Jewel premium live event from Saudi Arabia. It opened the show and saw Lashley jump from behind. Lashley speared him through the barricade.
Lesnar with some german suplexes and even a near fall for an F5. It was mostly dominated by Lashley, who had him in The Hurt Lock submission hold, but Lesnar pushed off the turnbuckle and landed on Lashley for the pinfall win.
Post-match, Lashley attacked Lesnar and put him in The Hurt Lock again.
Their first match took place at the Royal Rumble in January, where Lashley beat “The Beast” for the WWE Title.
However, Lashley lost the title at the Elimination Chamber event in Saudi Arabia in February but was never pinned or submitted as WWE did an injury angle to get Lashley out of the match as he was dealing with a shoulder injury. Lesnar ended up winning the match and the title before losing it to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 38 in a winner take all match.
Although Lashley previously called out Lesnar for a match at WrestleMania 39, the company decided to book the match at this event.
WWE set up the match in early October when he appeared on WWE TV for the first time since SummerSlam where he lost to Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, where he attacked Lesnar.
Lesnar later appeared on Monday Night Raw, only for Lashley to call him out and they brawled, with Lashley gaining the upper hand after spearing Lesnar through a ringside barricade. They have eventually pulled apart after Lashley put Lesnar through the announcer’s table.
WWE Crown Jewel is quickly approaching and the planned match order has been revealed based on the internal production listing.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul will headline the show. To even things up, Logan’s brother, Jake, has been brought in for the show to be in the corner of Logan to make sure The Bloodline isn’t a factor in the finish of the match.
There are a total of four title matches on this card. There are no titles expected to change hands, according to the final betting odds released. The event starts with the Kickoff show at 11 AM EST and the main card at 12 PM EST.
WWE Crown Jewel Match Order
The current scheduled match order for WWE Crown Jewel this afternoon is as follows:
Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss & Asuka vs. Dakota Kai & IYO SKY.
Karrion Kross vs. Drew McIntyre in a Steel Cage match.
The Judgement Day vs. AJ Styles & Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The Brawling Brutes.
WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. Bayley – Last Woman Standing Match.
Bray Wyatt segment.
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman vs. Logan Paul with Jake Paul.
WWE Superstar Otis has opened up about his lengthy battle with dyslexia after reading his first book front to back.
Otis appears on Monday Night Raw as part of Alpha Academy with Chad Gable, and the duo are former Raw Tag Team Champions.
Before turning heel, Otis teamed with Tucker in Heavy Machinery and is a former Mr. Money in the Bank, but lost the contract to The Miz before he had the chance to cash in.
Reading Pet Sematary
Taking to Twitter, Otis shared the news that he recently finished reading Stephen King’s 1983 horror classic Pet Sematary.
Otis explained that he has dealt with Dyslexia since elementary school, and WWE had approached him a year ago about getting into a reading class.
The Raw Superstar also praised his teacher Kimmy Swedberg, who chose Pet Sematary as Otis is a fan of horror, and was terrified by the 1989 film adaptation as a child.
Otis called Swedberg the “Best instructor and teacher” and gave a review of the book, and is already planning his next read, King’s 1977 classic The Shining.
According to recent research, it is believed 15% of people deal with some form of dyslexia, equating to over 30 million people in the United States alone.
Otis isn’t alone in his battle with dyslexia, as several wrestlers have come forward with their own struggles.
In an August 2019 interview, CJ (Lana) Perry said she learned of her dyslexia in college, and Diamond Dallas Page told Lilian Garcia on the Chasing Glory podcast that he had to deal with dyslexia at a time when nobody knew what it was.
They were scheduled to compete against each other in a Six-Pack Challenge in the main event and were reportedly going to enter into singles feuds for Hell in a Cell, despite being the champions of the women’s tag team division.
Banks and Naomi reportedly walked into former EVP of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis’ office and left the belts on his desk before exiting the arena. The former champs have been rumored to return to WWE for some time now but nothing has come to fruition yet. Sasha was recently backstage at a Live Event in Mexico.
The Boss took to Instagram today and teased fans that something is coming in the near future. Sasha stated that there is a date approaching that she has been waiting for the past six months. Banks thanked the fans for being with her for so long and added that something crazy is coming in the near future.
As time passes, there has been so much growth and there has been so much beautiful opportunity, and a journey that I have been loving.
But as the time also goes on, the date is coming that I’ve been waiting for the past six months.
And I can’t wait, but I’m really going to make the most of this November to make all my dreams happen in preparation for this date that I’ve been waiting for.
I’m very excited and I hope you guys come along for this journey, which I know a lot of you have been with me for so long. So thank you.
But I just want to let you know that there is going to be something so f***ing crazy coming!
“The day is coming that I’ve been waiting for for the past 6 months — There’s going to be something so fucking crazy coming”
WWE held a press conference today in Saudi Arabia ahead of tomorrow’s Crown Jewel premium live event.
The show will air live from Riyadh and will feature several title matches. Bianca Belair will defend the RAW Women’s Championship against Bayley in a Last Woman Standing match. Alexa Bliss & Asuka will put the Women’s Tag Team Championships on the line against Damage CTRL in a rematch from Monday’s episode of RAW.
Roman Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Logan Paul in the main event of WWE Crown Jewel. The Tribal Chief is closing in on 800 days as champion and will do so if he’s able to defeat Logan Paul tomorrow at Crown Jewel.
Roman Reigns Tells WWE Fans in Saudi Arabia They Don’t Deserve Sami Zayn
Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Bianca Belair, Damage CTRL, Omos, Braun Strowman, The Bloodline, and Logan Paul appeared during the press conference today. One superstar that was noticeably absent from the conference was Sami Zayn.
The Honorary Uce has never competed at a WWE event in Saudi Arabia and will not be at Crown Jewel tomorrow. Dave Meltzer reported in 2019 that the Saudi government had prohibited Sami from appearing at the shows because of his Syrian ethnicity.
During today’s press conference, the crowd loudly chanted “we want Sami!” several times. The Tribal Chief grabbed the microphone and told the crowd that they do not deserve the Honoracy Uce.
After how you’ve acted tonight, you don’t deserve Sami.
Sami posted the clip on Twitter with the caption “ICE COLD MY DAWG”.
The Tribal Chief recently spoke with ESPN ahead of his title match against Logan Paul at Crown Jewel tomorrow. Roman praised his opponent for catching on so quickly in WWE.
Roman Reigns has been the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion for 794 days now and is the heavy favorite to win at WWE Crown Jewel.
He will defend the title this Saturday against Logan Paul at the premium live event. The 27-year-old will be competing in just the third match of his career. Logan has been impressive thus far but the odds are stacked against him this Saturday at WWE Crown Jewel.
Logan sent a message to Roman and The Bloodline by knocking out Jey Uso with one punch on a recent edition of SmackDown. The Miz approached the Head of the Table this past Monday on RAW and suggested an alliance between the two because he was Logan’s tag partner at WrestleMania and knows how to beat him. Reigns sent a message back to Logan by knocking out The Miz with a Superman Punch.
Roman Reigns Compliments Logan Paul Ahead of WWE Crown Jewel
ESPN recently published a story about Logan Paul’s journey to becoming a WWE Superstar and featured quotes from Triple H, Shane Helms, The Miz, and Roman Reigns.
Speaking with ESPN, the Head of the Table complimented Logan Paul ahead of their title match this Saturday at WWE Crown Jewel.
When you know how tough this performance is and when you see somebody who can catch on as quickly as he has, it’s very encouraging, especially with someone who has such a following.
When you’re dealing with someone like a Logan Paul, someone who garners so much attention and has so much buzz, you’re not gonna hurt yourself dealing with someone and doing business with someone like that.
Roman Reigns on Logan Paul in WWE (via ESPN)
The 37-year-old added that he’s not concerned with any criticism leading into the main event this Saturday.
I know I’m gonna have to dictate some things [with Paul] ’cause of my knowledge and experience to that particular setting.
It’s just something that you get used to. John [Cena] did it, Steve [Austin] did it. Dwayne [“The Rock” Johnson] did it, Hulk [Hogan] did it. We all do it.
And that’s just a part of building that equity and taking on that role as the guy.
Logan Paul is scheduled to battle Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship this Saturday at Crown Jewel.
Roman Reigns is quickly approaching 800 days as champion, while Logan is about to wrestle the third match of his career. The 27-year-old recently knocked out Jey Uso on an episode of SmackDown and will look to do the same to the Tribal Chief at the premium live event.
It was reported earlier today that Jake Paul will accompany his brother to the ring for the title match.
Triple H on Logan Paul Proving Doubters Wrong Ahead of WWE Crown Jewel
WWE Chief Content Officer has been impressed with Logan Paul thus far in his wrestling career. The popular YouTuber teamed up with The Miz as this year’s WrestleMania to defeat Dominik and Rey Mysterio.
The A-Lister betrayed Logan after the match and planted him with a Skull Crushing Finale. Paul got his revenge and defeated The Miz at SummerSlam and now has been given a shot at the title.
Speaking with ESPN, Triple H said that Logan Paul has already proven his doubters wrong simply by the fact that he’s booked in the main event of WWE Crown Jewel.
I wouldn’t put him in the main event of a massive international event that’s gonna have 60, 70 thousand people there or whatever if I thought he couldn’t handle it, and certainly, he had to prove that to me.
He had to prove that to everybody. He had to prove that to the world, right? To everybody on this team. He’s done that, right?
Triple H on Logan Paul in WWE (via ESPN)
Triple H added that Logan being in the title match is thinking long-term and is better for everyone in the company.
If you look at it and you say, ‘Well, Logan Paul gets that opportunity, I don’t get that opportunity,’ you have very small, myopic thinking.
When Logan gets this opportunity, eventually he goes away or whatever. He is creating bigger opportunities for others. … It’s the bigger-picture thinking.
I understand why people think that way ’cause your concern is your career. But the truth is in the overall picture, this is better for everybody.
Triple H on Logan Paul getting opportunities in WWE (via ESPN)
Shane Helms has been training Logan and referred to him as a “coach’s dream”.
“That’s a coach’s dream. Somebody that doesn’t give you an attitude and they’re able to take what you give them and make it their own.”
WWE has an interest in bringing back yet another wrestler as Triple H continues to look to shape the women’s division in his own way.
Fightful Select reported today that WWE is interested in bringing Mia Yim back to the company. The report noted that while there’s no word yet on a potential start date, she’s expected to be brought back soon.
WWE taped tonight’s SmackDown a week ago so that it won’t be then and not likely in Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel, but Monday’s Raw or next week’s SmackDown is possible.
Mia Yim’s Journey
WWE released Yim in November 2021 after a run on WWE Raw as Reckoning, and in between, being swapped between brands without appearing anywhere. Yim didn’t wrestle any matches for 15 months while being sidelined by WWE and having her non-compete run out.
When she could wrestle again once her non-compete clause expired, she spent five months with Impact Wrestling before wrapping up with the company after their set of Bound For Glory tapings last month.
Fightful was told that WWE was aware that her agreement with Impact was coming up and had an interest in anticipation of it. WWE brought Emma (Tenille Dashwood) back to the company after years of being away last week.
Steve Austin had his first match since 2003 at WrestleMania this year, closing night one against Kevin Owens in his home state of Texas.
Many thought that this WrestleMania 38 bout was the end of Austin’s career, although that may not be the case.
Steve Austin Open to Wrestle Again
While speaking with GiveMeSport’s Louis Dangoor, WrestleVotes noted that Austin was so elated with how things went in his WrestleMania 38 that the belief is he’d be open to doing it again.
“I know he had a wonderful time doing it last year in Dallas. He was happy. He was elated. Let’s say that the performance of the match, everything went so well, and people loved it so much, So I know he was thrilled to post WrestleMania. And I’d say he was open to doing it again.”
It should be noted that WrestleVotes did explain that they hadn’t heard that Austin will be involved at WrestleMania 39 next year or if he will be wrestling, but this is just the feeling that Austin would be open to the idea.
Austin, one of the biggest stars in the history of the wrestling business, had not wrestled in 19 years as he decided to retire due to neck problems. That match came against The Rock at WrestleMania 19 in 2003.
R-Truth could be set for a significant stint on the shelf after the fan-favorite star was in action on Tuesday’s episode of WWE NXT when he faced Grayson Waller in the show’s opening match.
Truth suffered an injury after he went for a Flip Dive over the top rope but didn’t clear it as his knee hit the rope. R-Truth was helped backstage by WWE’s medical team after WWE cut a commercial break, and Waller was declared the winner.
The Injury
(via WWE)
Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that it is believed Truth suffered a quadriceps tear, but that hasn’t been confirmed just yet. This would ultimately be a serious injury that will keep him out of action for several months.
This injury happened at a time when Truth had been featured more on TV by appearing on Monday Night Raw in a segment with Baron Corbin and JBL.
In addition to NXT and Raw, he has also been booked on Main Event in a new tag team with Shelton Benjamin by taking on Duke Hudson and Von Wagner. Unfortunately, though, Truth’s latest run on TV looks to be over.
Kevin Nash, Triple H, Vince McMahon, and others have all suffered quadriceps tears. In the cases of “The Game” and Nash, they were out of action for close to a year.
Whether fans like it or not, Logan Paul is a contracted WWE Superstar, but will his brother follow in his footsteps?
Logan certainly believes so, as he recently told Ryan Satin that Jake in WWE will happen (via Bleacher Report.)
“Truthfully, I think it’s inevitable. I’m biased, but I think what we’re doing is incredibly exciting, at least for me, personally, it is incredibly exciting.
“If I were watching two brothers take over, and I use that word intentionally, take over two highly entertaining sports, boxing and wrestling in a way that has never been done before, my curiosity would be peaked.”
WWE Co-Chief Executive Officer & Director Nick Khan has signed a new long-term contract with the company.
Khan put pen to paper back on October 19, According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The deal runs through August 5, 2025.
The terms of the new agreement include a base salary of $1,350,000 per year, but there are several more components to his compensation package. Khan will also receive stock grants of $3,575,000 per year and has an annual target bonus of an additional $2,160,000.
Nick Khan
Khan received $15 million in stock when he first joined WWE in 2020 as company President. He quickly became one of the most powerful players in the entire industry, and now serves as Co-CEO along with Stephanie McMahon.
Nick Khan has helped lead WWE during a very prosperous time and is credited with helping the company secure various lucrative business deals. WWE stock was around $45/share when he joined the company over two years ago. Today, it’s priced around $75, a very healthy 66% increase. The stock is up 50.24% year-to-date, as of this writing.
WWE’s Executive Team
WWE’s executive team has undergone a significant shakeup over the past few years, with high-profile departures including Vince McMahon, and former co-Presidents George Barrios and Michelle Wilson.
The following is an updated look at WWE’s executive structure, as of November 4, 2022:
Tonight’s edition of WWE SmackDown takes place from St. Louis, Missouri at the Enterprise Center. This show was taped last week, because the WWE crew is currently in Saudi Arabia for Saturday’s Crown Jewel premium live event.
SmackDown will focus on the final build to Crown Jewel. Next week, we’ll begin the road to WWE’s next Premium Live Event, January’s Royal Rumble.
Here’s a preview for what to expect on SmackDown, followed by a link to the Spoiler Results:
The main event will see Gunther defending the Intercontinental Championship against Rey Mysterio.
Former SmackDown Women’s champion Liv Morgan faces Sonya Deville in a No-DQ match to open the show.
LA Knight faces Ricochet
Shayna Baszler vs. Natalya
Braun Strowman will be in action against 5 ‘enhancement’ wrestlers.
Plus, we’ll see appearances by by Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos, The New Day, Ridge Holland and Butch, MVP and more.
Logan Paul looks to do the impossible this weekend at WWE Crown Jewel. The social media influencer turned boxer turned wrestler challenges Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in less than 24 hours.
Paul has proven to be a natural inside squared circle. He possesses the winning formula of athleticism and charisma that has led countless performers to legendary status.
WWE signing Logan Paul to a multi-year contract in June 2022 seems like a stroke of genius. According to Paul Heyman, he’s been pushing the company to get in business with Paul for years.
Heyman appeared on the latest episode of WWE’s After The Bell podcast. The Special Counsel to The Tribal Chief tells Corey Graves new co-host Kevin Patrick that he wanted to procure Paul’s services back in 2019, when he served as the Executive Director of Monday Night Raw.
This Is Global Publicity
“When I was executive director of RAW, I had pitched Logan Paul to Vince McMahon to get involved in a scenario that would ultimately culminate in a SummerSlam or Survivor Series or a Royal Rumble match,” said Heyman.
Say what you want about the the Paul brothers, they’ve made a dramatic impact on the world of professional boxing and prize fighting. Heyman saw this disruption coming a mile away and felt that WWE should get in on the axction.
“So, I had seen the Paul brothers disrupting the boxing industry from the very beginning when they got involved. I mean, they just came in at such a level and with so much fanfare. This is a no brainer to the Tribal Chief, and it’s a no brainer to his Special Counsel.”
Heyman, a master promoter and opportunist, saw the Paul brothers’ massive audience that could be leveraged to bring additional exposure to WWE and The Bloodline.
“This is global publicity,” he added. “This is a chance to take Logan Paul’s audience and put those eyeballs on WWE, and more importantly, on Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman and the Bloodline. Of course, the desire is to retain as many eyeballs as possible because we’re trying to seduce them with our brand of entertainment.”
Will The Rock return to the ring to face his cousin Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39?
That is the question everyone has been asking, and there’s no shortage of fans hoping to see it happen.
Both men have teased a match in the past, and the Los Angeles setting for WrestleMania would certainly make sense given the Brahma Bull’s success in Hollywood.
Acknowledge Him
Both The Rock and Reigns are part of the legendary Anoa’I wrestling family, with relations including Yokozuna, Umaga, Rikishi, The Usos and many more.
In 2018, Lance Anoa’I made his debut for Major League Wrestling, where he competes to this day, but has his prediction for the dream match as he told Sportskeeda.
“I would pick Roman. I feel that he has the youth, the strength, and the time to dedicate to fans of the wrestling federation.”
Lance Anoa’I.
While Lance hasn’t made his name in WWE like his relations, he did appear on Raw in 2019 as part of Reigns’ feud at the time with Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre.
Whatever it Takes
WWE has not publicly confirmed a Reigns Vs. Rock match, though the Brahma Bull’s Hollywood schedule is noticeably free for the first quarter of 2023.
Speaking about the match, Lance is confident WWE will do all it can to make the bout happen.
“That rumor or that dream match or whatever you want to call it has been in the ears of everybody for a long time. Whether it will come to [fruition] or not, who knows but knowing WWE, they’ll probably do whatever it takes to make it happen.”
While WWE no doubt wants the match, The Rock may be hesitant, as an injury suffered at WrestleMania 29 forced the filming of Hercules to be delayed, costing a lot of money.
AEW star Shawn Spears recently joined Renee Paquette for an episode of The Sessions podcast.
Renee recently joined All Elite Wrestling as an interviewer. She formerly worked in WWE as Renee Young as an interviewer and a brief stint on the RAW commentary team. Spears performed in WWE under the name Tye Dillinger until he asked for his release from the company in February 2019. He signed with AEW a few months later in June.
During the interview with Renee, Shawn talked about former WWE Superstar Tyler Breeze and if he will return to wrestling again. The Chairman said that Breeze has claimed that his in-ring career is over.
He still works out, he’s still in shape. There will be times we’ll hop in the ring and have 20, 25 minutes.
We just did that a couple of weeks ago with the Gunns, just at the school to get some cardio in. He can still go, he still does everything.
But I say to him, ‘Hey man, getting ready for a second run?’ He goes ‘Nah, [I’m] retired.’ So I don’t know. That’s the true answer. But I see the excitement sometimes when he hops in.
The 41-year-old added that he hopes that his training partner isn’t done for good and that Breeze will return to the squared circle someday soon.
He’s done very well for himself, he’s a very smart guy.
But I think it still creeps in every now and then, and I only know that because of how passionate he is when he teaches too.
So if he didn’t care, he’d be a little more relaxed. It’s just a matter of timing, or the right opportunity to present itself.
I hope that he’s not done, because he still has a lot to offer. Just an incredible coach, good human being, and a benefit to this industry.
Spears recently returned to AEW on Rampage in Toronto three weeks ago. He teamed with FTR to defeat The Embassy. After the match, Shawn announced that he hasn’t been around lately due to his mother passing away.
WWE Crown Jewel takes place this Saturday from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This will be the 4th Crown Jewel event for the company; it originated in 2018.
SEScoops correspondents Andrew Ravens, Thomas Lowson and Robert Lentini have assembled to provide our official WWE Crown Jewel predictions.
WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul
Thomas Lowson: Arguably the easiest match to predict, and that’s not knocking Paul who has proven to be impressive since arriving in WWE. But it’s of course going to be Roman Reigns winning. Maybe a story of Paul has him on the ropes, and has earned a modicum of respect from the Tribal Chief. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Robert Lentini: Roman Reigns is closing in on a ridiculous 800 days as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion and he sure as hell isn’t losing the title to Logan Paul. The 27-year-old has been impressive in his two matches thus far in the company but he’s not the superstar to dethrone the Tribal Chief. Logan will get in his one lucky shot for a near fall and may even kick out of a Superman Punch. However, the Head of the Table will be too much for Logan and Roman’s incredible reign will continue after Crown Jewel. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Andrew Ravens: There’s no way that Paul is winning this match, but the way that WWE has built him up with the whole ‘I just need one lucky shot’ was a good attempt at it. Reigns should beat him in a short match because Reigns, WWE’s biggest star, should be able to beat Paul, who has only worked a handful of matches, in no time. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Consensus: Roman Reigns
Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross (Steel Cage Match)
Thomas Lowson: McIntyre has been on the serious back-foot in this feud, and really has been since losing at Clash at the Castle. With WWE eager to please the Saudi crowd, Expect McIntyre to get the win in Riyadh. Kross has firmly established himself back in WWE, now it’s time for Drew to get a win. (Prediction: Drew McIntyre)
Robert Lentini: Drew McIntyre and Karrion Kross battled in a Strap match at Extreme Rules. Kross escaped with the victory after Scarlett interfered. Drew attacked Karrion in the parking lot on SmackDown and cost Kross a spot in a Fatal 4-Way match to determine the #1 contender for the IC Title. I’m not quite sure if the Karrion Kross experiment is working on SmackDown but I don’t think it is time to hand him a loss. McIntyre deserves a big win as well but I think it will have to come at another date. (Prediction: Karrion Kross)
Andrew Ravens: With Kross already beating McIntyre and the cage supposedly keeping Scarlett from interfering, Kross should take a loss with McIntyre getting the win. They’ve done a nice job of building up this feud, but I think it’s time to move on with the babyface getting his revenge. (Prediction: Drew McIntyre)
Consensus: Split
WWE Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The Brawling Brutes
Thomas Lowson: This is far more tricky than you’d first think. On the one hand there’s the Usos, who have continued to dominate, and from an initial glance, this should just be another walk in the park. After all, the Brawling Brutes have hardly had their number. But with the story of Jey Uso getting so much attention, I’m going to predict the long-awaited title change. It’ll get the belts off the Usos, continue the divide in the Bloodline and the Brutes deserve a big win. (Prediction: The Brawling Brutes)
Robert Lentini: The Brawling Brutes (Butch & Ridge Holland) are out for revenge after The Bloodline brutally attacked Sheamus on a recent episode of SmackDown. I just think Jimmy and Jey will get back to their “Ucey” ways at Crown Jewel and retain the titles. If not, the internal friction between Bloodline members will only get worse. (Prediction: The Usos)
Andrew Ravens: Although this has the potential to be the best match of the show, I don’t see a title change happening. Until Reigns gets closer to dropping the Undisputed WWE Universal Title, The Usos will remain champions. (Prediction: The Usos)
Consensus: Split
WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. Bayley
Thomas Lowson: Maybe I’m in the minority, but I’m starting to grow tired of Belair on top. Perhaps it’s the old adage that the face challenger chasing the title is better than the face champion. Personally, I’m rooting for Bayley in this, but I doubt it’ll happen. Especially with the Last Woman Standing match. Wait until a triple threat (likely Belair, Bayley and Nikki Cross) for the title change, meaning Belair doesn’t take the pin. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Robert Lentini: Bianca Belair successfully defended the title against Bayley in a Ladder match last month at WWE Extreme Rules. Their rivalry has been going on for some time now and a Last Woman Standing match is the perfect stipulation to settle it. The Role Model will defeat Belair this time around and potentially set up a feud with a returning Becky Lynch. Damage CTRL’s attack on Becky is the storyline reason she has missed time while recovering from a shoulder injury. (Prediction: Bayley)
Andrew Ravens: This should be fun, but unless there is outside interference, I don’t see a title change happening on this show. Belair already beat Bayley, and this looks to be the blowoff match of the feud. Belair should retain. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Consensus: Split
Braun Strowman vs. Omos
Thomas Lowson: Little interest in this one to be honest. Both men are big and can do big moves. After seeing them repeatedly trade blows though, I’m curious as to how Crown Jewel will be different. (Prediction: Braun Strowman)
Robert Lentini: Omos and Braun Strowman have both been dominant as of late, seemingly defeating multiple enhancement talents on a weekly basis. They will battle at Crown Jewel to determine who the real giant is in the company. WWE seems to be rebooting their push for Omos, so I think the Nigerian Giant will get the victory with some outside interference from MVP. (Prediction: Omos)
Andrew Ravens: I think Braun should go over here because I don’t see what WWE officials do in Omos aside from the guy being really tall. Braun is a better promo and wrestler with the plus of being used as a title contender. Keep it short and to the point, and let’s move on. (Prediction: Braun Strowman)
Consensus: Split
The O.C. vs. The Judgment Day
Thomas Lowson: Perhaps the match I’m most interested in. Plenty has been said about Karl Anderson’s status for the show, but from all accounts, it looks like he’s locked in for Crown Jewel. I imagine Rhea Ripley will again try and be the difference maker, and WWE have certainly been making it clear that while she’s around, the Judgment Day have the advantage. I wouldn’t be too surprised if we see a female Superstar align with the O.C. (possibly Raquel Rodriguez going by recent Live events.) (Prediction: The O.C.)
Robert Lentini: The Judgment Day tried to recruit AJ Styles to the group and attacked him when he declined. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson made their triumphant return to the company and reunited The OC to battle The Judgment Day. Rhea Ripley has been the x-factor in this feud and has gotten the better of Gallows on back-to-back episodes of RAW. The OC are trying to find an equalizer to combat Rhea Ripley and it will be interesting to see who that is. The OC defeat Judgment Day and a mystery superstar prevents Rhea from interfering at Crown Jewel. (Prediction: The O.C.)
Andrew Ravens: As much as I would like to see WWE keep Judgment Day strong, I don’t see WWE beating Anderson and Gallows so early on in their return to the company, especially with a renewed push for Styles. The babyfaces go over, although I can see Judgment Day getting their revenge after the match. (Prediction: The O.C)
Consensus: The O.C.
Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley
Thomas Lowson: The long-awaited sequel to their match from Royal Rumble 2022, and what I believe could be the match of the night. Will it be long? No. Physical? Yes! What’s made this feud so great is that unlike before, it isn’t rushed, and is free from distractions. No MVP. No Heyman. No Roman Reigns looming over it. This is simply Brock and Bobby. Personally, I’m predicting a Lesnar win, and the door to be open for a rubber match. WrestleMania Fight Pit anyone? (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Robert Lentini: Bobby Lashley defeated Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble in January but that was because Roman Reigns interfered in the match. Lesnar cost Lashley his United States Championship by attacking The All Mighty before his title defense against Seth Rollins. I predict that this will be pure carnage for about five minutes and The Beast Brock Lesnar will emerge from the wreckage victorious. (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Andrew Ravens: I see Lesnar going over here as he is coming off a loss to Roman Reigns at SummerSlam, and Lashley beat him in their first match at Elimination Chamber earlier this year. This should be a highlight-reel type of match, and they should do a third match at WrestleMania 39. (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Consensus: Brock Lesnar
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss and Asuka vs. Damage CTRL
Thomas Lowson: Another easy prediction. Bliss and Asuka have just won the titles, with this being Bliss’ first major title win since 2020, and Asuka’s first since 2021. While typically, a faction in multiple matches will win one and lose one, I doubt it this time. Sorry Damage CTRL. It will be a rough night in Riyadh. (Prediction: Alexa Bliss and Asuka)
Robert Lentini: Damage CTRL dropped the titles to Asuka and Alexa Bliss this past Monday on RAW. Bliss and Asuka should win on Saturday again. It doesn’t make sense to play hot potato with the Women’s Tag Team Championships and give them right back to Kai & Sky. (Prediction: Alexa Bliss and Asuka)
Andrew Ravens: WWE just added this because they need another match on the card, and in storyline, it makes sense as the champions do need a rematch as they lost the titles on Monday’s Raw. It wouldn’t make much sense to see WWE do another title change, but we’ve seen crazier things in WWE. (Prediction: Alexa Bliss and Asuka)
WWE Superstar Butch was once a huge part of Triple H’s NXT UK brand, but the pair’s first meeting left a lot to be desired.
Butch joined WWE as Pete Dunne in 2017 as part of the United Kingdom Championship tournament
Despite losing to Tyler Bate in the finals, Butch would win the title in May 2017, and would hold the title for 685 days.
First Meetings
Like its American counterpart, NXT UK saw a lot of involvement by Triple H, who was a key part of the brand being formed in 2017.
Speaking on the latest episode of Out of Character, Butch recalled doing a dark match before signing with WWE and how he had to fight hard (literally) to get the Game’s attention.
“I definitely met him very, very briefly. Me and Tyler [Bate] did a dark match before the show to test the cameras in Glasgow where we had our tryout. Regal picked us up to go and wrestle. I remember he was on his phone or whatever.
“We’re in there and we were just taking it as a job interview, right? So we were out there just putting our best foot forward, putting on the best match we possibly could. Then I remember halfway through, he puts his phone down and just starts watching. I remember him standing there and watching the whole thing.”
Speaking to The Game
While Butch was focused on the match, the idea of speaking for the first time with Triple H was an opportunity he realized he would not be getting again soon.
In the interview, Butch said that despite Triple H’s involvement in NXT UK, he didn’t speak much with the Hall of Famer.
“He was actually talking to Chris Jericho. We stood by the rail, really awkwardly. We thought ‘We’ve got to get five minutes with him if we can.’ Then eventually, Jericho turned around and asked us if we’re okay, what we needed. We said, ‘Oh, we just wanted to make sure everything you saw was okay. If there’s anything we could do differently to improve and get your thoughts.’ Triple H basically just said ‘No, that was great.’”
While the interaction between Butch and Triple H was short, Jericho was far more open.
“Jericho said, ‘Just give me five minutes I’ll come talk to you.’ We had a good chat with him and he had some really kind words to say and stuff. That was the only brief encounter I had with Triple H.”
After working in NXT UK, Butch was moved to NXT, where he held the NXT Tag Team Titles.
Upon arriving on SmackDown earlier this year, the Brit was given the Butch name, and he and Ridge Holland will challenge for Undisputed WWE Tag Champions The Usos at Crown Jewel.
We now have some idea of what WWE had planned for Randy Orton upon his return from injury.
Orton has been out-of-action for the past several months since he and Matt Riddle’s RAW Tag Team Title reign ended. However, initially Orton wasn’t expected to be sidelined as long as he has.
According to a report from WrestleVotes, the initial plan for Orton was to return and immediately turn on Riddle, sparking a feud between the pair.
Of course, those plans were initiated back in May, when Vince McMahon was still the frontman of WWE. Since, McMahon has retired and Triple H has assumed creative responsibilities.
There’s a possibility that Triple H could decide to go in a different direction. As for Riddle, WrestleVotes speculated that WWE might not have anything for Riddle at the moment because Orton isn’t back.
(via WWE)
Shortly after concluding his feud with Seth Rollins, Riddle has been working with Elias on RAW, teaming up against Alpha Academy on Monday Night RAW.
It will be interesting to see what WWE decides to do with both Randy Orton and Riddle should he eventually return. There’s said to be a bit of worry about Orton’s injury and its severity given how long he’s been away.
WWE is expected to be making regular cuts to NXT moving forward.
Earlier this week, WWE released names such as Bodhi Hayward, Sloane Jacobs, Erica Yan, Damaris Griffin, and Ru Feng from their developmental brand.
This isn’t something completely new, as regularly releasing talent is something that has been going on since Vince McMahon was still running operations.
However, under the Triple H regime, that practice will continue. Wrestling Observer Radio‘s Dave Meltzer shared a report on the situation recently.
WWE is planning on continuing to release NXT talent regularly if they feel they are not progressing the way the company wants.
Talent can expect to be let go anywhere from the six-month to one-year mark if progression expectations are not being met. Also, anyone who isn’t put on TV after two years can also expect to be let go.
Of course, Bodhi Hayward’s situation, in particular, was a bit different. Subsequent reports have since suggested that Hayward was actually a handful to deal with, which added to the company’s decision to let him go in the end.
While WWE will continue its efforts to search the globe for more potential stars, it seems they also have set a hard rule on how long they’re waiting to sit on a talent’s potential before cutting ties.
WWE Crown Jewel comes at us this Saturday, live from Saudi Arabia. Despite recent warnings of violence and an “imminent attack” in the nation, WWE has pressed on with running the show. Several members of the WWE crew are already overseas getting ready for the event.
Here are the betting odds for WWE Crown Jewel, courtesy of Bet Online:
Roman Reigns (-5000) is heavily favored to retain his WWE Undisputed Universal Championship over Logan Paul (+1000).
Bianca Belair is a slight favorite (-160) to retain the WWE Raw Women’s Championship against Bayley (+120).
The Usos (-4000) are heavily favored to retain their WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championships against The Brawling Brutes (+900).
Asuka and Alexa Bliss (-200) are favorites to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships over Damage CTRL (+150).
Brock Lesnar (-450) is a clear favorite over Bobby Lashley (+275).
Drew McIntyre is a slight favorite (-140) in his steel cage match against Karrion Kross (+100).
Braun Strowman is a heavy favorite (-700) to defeat Omos (+400).
The O.C. (-400) is favored to defeat The Judgment Day (+250).
Keep it locked to SEScoops this weekend, as we’ll be covering WWE Crown Jewel from all angles, including results and news coming out of the event.
Becky Lynch is crossing over to the universe of Young Rock, the hit show about the life of pro wrestler turned Hollywood megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Friday night’s Season 3 premiere, titled The People Need you, takes place in 1985 during the lead-up to the first WrestleMania event. Hulk Hogan, Mr. T, Vince McMahon, Lou Albano, Liberace ans Cyndi Lauper will also be depicted.
The episode synopsis reads, “After losing the election, Dwayne Johnson is ready to withdraw from politics. In 1985, Rocky Johnson learns there’s consequences to crossing Vince McMahon.”
On Thursday morning, Dwayne Johnson provided a ‘first look’ at Becky Lynch as Cyndi Lauper on Young Rock.
The Rock says he was present for Becky’s audition for the role, and “We were all very impressed at her high level commitment as an actor to become Cyndi Lauper.”
Becky Lynch is one of the most popular Superstars in WWE. This appearance on Young Rock is not her first time testing the waters in Hollywood. She’s already appeared on a 2020 episode of the show Billions as well as the 2021 Paramount+ movie, Rumble.
The Man has been off WWE television sinceSummerSlam, when she suffered a separated shoulder during her match against Bianca Belair. Lynch was written out of storylines the next night on Raw due to a vicious attack from Damage CTRL.
Young Rock returns this Friday 8:30 PM EST on NBC.
At the time, it was reported that Bray’s high-dollar contract and creative differences with then-CEO Vince McMahon led to the decision.
The White Rabbit
During the recent 2022 Q3 earnings call, WWE Head of Creative and Talent Relations spoke about Wyatt’s return.
The Game explained that ‘The White Rabbit Project’ was an incredibly effective tool in generating hype, as fans tried to decipher the use of the Jefferson Airplane song at Live events.
Triple H added that interest in the White Rabbit only grew with the introduction of QR codes, and said that these drove up the viewership of the 9pm hour of the September 23, 2022, SmackDown by 20%.
That episode was the most-watched episode of SmackDown since March of 2020.
Best for Business
After weeks of teases, the White Rabbit would be revealed to be Wyatt who earned a thunderous response from the live crowd.
Triple H explained how Bray, who he called “one of our biggest Superstars” has been a provable draw, going by their metrics (via NoDQ.com.)
“Bray Wyatt’s return at Extreme Rules resulted in a 30% increase in total viewership and became the most-watched Extreme Rules in history. Monday Night Raw just two nights later also benefitted increasing our audience to nearly 2 million, an increase of 14% week over week.”
Wyatt’s return to WWE has come with a ton of merchandise, which has been selling well so far.
On the call, Triple H explained that when Bray returned, his first shirt back became the top-selling item – not just among WWE merchandise – but across Fanatics’ entire network of e-commerce sites.
More merchandise is expected following the debut of the Uncle Howdy character on last week’s SmackDown.
