Following Wrestlepalooza — its premium live event debut on ESPN’s streaming service — WWE returns with Crown Jewel on Oct. 11 in Perth, Australia.
The event begins at 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT and is headlined by the men’s and women’s Crown Jewel Championship matches, where Raw and SmackDown’s world champions face off to determine a grand champion — a tradition that began last year in Saudi Arabia.
This year’s card also features what’s expected to be the final showdown between two legendary icons as they
near the end of their storied careers.
WWE Men’s Crown Jewel Championship: Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes
At Wrestlepalooza, Cody Rhodes defeated Drew McIntyre to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship. During the post-show, he was confronted by the World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins.
The following night on Raw, Rollins challenged Rhodes verbally, demanding to know what he truly thought of him. Rollins accused Rhodes of giving empty praise while questioning his place as the face of WWE.
Rhodes responded respectfully, crediting Rollins for helping him win the WWE Title at WrestleMania XL. But he also pushed back, asking if Rollins would face him one-on-one — as he had done in the past — or if he would rely on The Vision for help.
Before walking away, Rhodes hit him with some hard truth. He reminded Rollins that he had never beaten him in a singles match. That left Rollins stewing for the rest of the night.
On SmackDown, Rhodes exchanged tense words with Rollins’ “Oracle,” Paul Heyman — who appears to be back in business with Brock Lesnar. Before Rhodes could press further, he was attacked by Vision members Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker, only to be saved by his friend, Randy Orton.
As Crown Jewel approaches, the stakes are high: Will Rhodes become a two-time Crown Jewel Champion, or will Rollins claim his first? And with Rhodes’ eyes on Lesnar, Orton watching his back, and The Vision lurking — will this truly be a one-on-one match?
WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship: Stephanie Vaquer vs. Tiffany Stratton
Stephanie Vaquer captured the vacant Women’s World Title at Wrestlepalooza by defeating Iyo Sky in a show-stealing match. Last Friday, Tiffany Stratton retained her WWE Women’s Championship on SmackDown after a controversial triple threat match.
Now, for the first time ever, Vaquer and Stratton will meet to determine the Women’s Crown Jewel Champion.
It’s a compelling matchup as both women have risen rapidly to the top of WWE. Stratton has held the WWE Women’s Title for nearly 300 days, defeating stars like Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, and Jade Cargill. Meanwhile, Vaquer has had a breakout year. Within two months, she won both of NXT singles women’s titles before joining the main roster in April and ascending to the top of Raw’s women’s division.
With both women clearly positioned as future cornerstones, Crown Jewel may reveal which one WWE sees as the true face of its women’s division.
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
As John Cena’s career comes to an end, fans wondered if he would face longtime rival AJ Styles one last time. At Clash in Paris, Cena used Styles’ signature Styles Clash on Logan Paul, later explaining it was a tribute — his way of honoring past rivals since a final match seemed unlikely.
Then, a funny thing happened last week.
Cena, who has only a handful of dates left in his retirement tour, posted on social media, reminding fans he doesn’t choose his opponents but always listens to them. He tagged AJ Styles and WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque, teasing a final showdown. Styles responded: “Let’s do it, I’m ready!” Levesque gave the green light, and the match was made official for Crown Jewel.
It was a clever use of social media to build hype on short notice and give fans a sense of power — though many believe the match was already planned.
Regardless, the fans are getting what they want: Cena vs. Styles, one final time.
Their rivalry started in 2016, when Styles, the former face of TNA, beat Cena, then the face of WWE, at Money in the Bank, thanks to an assist from Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. They had an epic rematch at SummerSlam, named Match of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated readers and earned 4.5 stars from writer Dave Meltzer. In their third match at the 2017 Royal Rumble, Cena tied Ric Flair’s record, winning a 16th world title by defeating Styles in another classic rated 4.75 stars.
Now, both men are 48 and nearing retirement. Still, Styles remains sharp in the ring, while Cena has seemingly improved as his career winds down. Whether they can deliver another classic remains to be seen. But even if it’s just their greatest hits, it should be more than enough for the fans.
Other Notes:
Roman Reigns was featured on the newly released poster for Crown Jewel, sparking curiosity about what his involvement in the show might be. Also on the poster was Australia’s own, Rhea Ripley. Last Monday on Raw, she and Iyo Sky fell victim to Asuka and Kairi Sane, leading to speculation that a tag team match between the four women could be in the works.
Crown Jewel marks WWE’s second premium live event on ESPN, following its Wrestlepalooza debut — which drew mixed reviews, even by ESPN itself. With another $30 price tag looming, WWE will look to deliver a stronger show as it and ESPN try to justify the monthly cost to fans.
However, those still on the fence about adding another streaming subscription do have other options. WWE and Fandango — a movie ticketing service — will bring Crown Jewel to select theaters nationwide, offering a fun and possibly cheaper way to watch the event.
