Crown Jewel has become one of WWE’s major premium live events in a calendar year. While it has been a staple of Saudi Arabia in recent years, the company is set to host the marquee spectacle this year in Perth, Australia. Therefore, the excitement among fans is at an all-time high as it is set to be WWE’s next premium live event.
While the company is heavily promoting it, there are certain things that WWE wants the fans to forget about Crown Jewel. Over the past few years, there have been a lot of controversies that have marred the show. From an infamous showdown that shouldn’t have happened to the WWE roster stranded in Saudi Arabia, there were several terrible moments.
Let’s take a look at five things WWE wants you to forget about Crown Jewel:
#5. The DX vs. Brothers of Destruction match (2018)
Shawn Michaels came out of his retirement at Crown Jewel 2018 to re-form the Degeneration X with Triple H. They battled The Brothers of Destruction in a tag team match at the marquee event in Saudi Arabia. While it was a dream match for many, the moment it happened, it became a nightmare for the fans and for the legends involved.
In the first few minutes of the match, Triple H injured his shoulder, causing chaos at the scene. Not only that, the showdown was filled with sloppy sequences and botches. At one point, HBK accidentally unmasked Kane during a moonsault from the corner. To this date, many consider it one of the worst matches in WWE history that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
#4. Shane McMahon winning the World Cup Tournament (2018)
In 2018, WWE announced a World Cup tournament for Crown Jewel that year. The hype was all about crowning the best WWE star in the world. While the tournament featured stars like Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, and The Miz, surprisingly, a part-time wrestler like Shane McMahon won it all in one of the most controversial moments in WWE history.
The Miz was the original finalist to compete against Dolph Ziggler. However, he was unable to compete, and McMahon stepped up to replace him. It was a surprising decision as people were actually rooting for Ziggler to win. In a match that lasted less than 3 minutes, Shane ‘O’ Mac went on to defeat The Show Off to claim the “best in the world” moniker and the World Cup trophy.
#3. The plane delay fiasco at Crown Jewel (2019)
One of the most dreadful things took place in 2019 when WWE experienced a plane delay following its Crown Jewel event. While the authorities suggested that it was a mechanical issue, reports stated that it was due to an internal conflict between WWE and Saudi Arabia. This delay led to almost 200 wrestlers and other employees being stranded in the nation.
While Vince McMahon and a few top stars managed to leave the country on private jets, the rest of the WWE roster was left stuck for nearly 24 hours. Many stars even expressed frustration over the Saudi Arabian authorities and McMahon for leaving without them. Besides, this unexpected delay jeopardized the following episode of SmackDown, marking a controversial point in Crown Jewel’s history.
#2. The botch in the Roman Reigns vs. LA Knight main event (2023)
LA Knight faced Roman Reigns in the main event of Crown Jewel 2023. The match had a lot of hype among fans as The Defiant One was on a meteoric rise in WWE. However, it was marred by criticisms due to an embarrassing botch. At one point of the contest, Knight hit a BFT to The OTC, and the referee counted the pinfall to three, marking LA’s victory.
However, the WWE official waved off the three-count after noticing that Reigns’ leg was on the rope. It was a clear timing error and miscalculation that created an awkward situation. People started calling out WWE to crown LA Knight as the new champion due to the botched spot. It created yet another controversy surrounding Crown Jewel that WWE wants fans to forget about.
#1. The first-ever historic women’s match in Saudi Arabia (2019)
At Crown Jewel 2019, Natalya faced Lacey Evans in the first-ever women’s wrestling match on Saudi Arabian soil. It was a massive step towards WWE’s push for inclusivity regarding the women’s division. What was supposed to be a historic moment met with an underwhelming response from the fans at the arena. The match was positioned mid-card and was given less than 10 minutes.
It felt like a token gesture rather than a main attraction, unlike other high-profile matches on the card. The atmosphere felt subdued compared to typical WWE women’s matches, reducing the sense of a historic pop that the company hoped to capture. The historic moment felt underwhelming and flopped, and was quickly buried in Crown Jewel’s history.
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