The crown jewel of sports entertainment is set to return to WWE — fittingly, at Crown Jewel.
On Monday, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque unveiled the poster for the upcoming premium live event, which
will stream on ESPN. Featured are Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, John Cena, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, Rhea Ripley, and Drew McIntyre.
But front and center above everyone else is the Tribal Chief himself — Roman Reigns.
“The road to WWE Crown Jewel begins tonight,” read Levesque’s caption. “Just under 3 weeks until WWE takes over Perth. Are you ready?”
Despite the buzz, Reigns isn’t expected to return on Raw tonight. As reported earlier this month by PW Insider, he’s set to miss most of September while filming his role in the upcoming Street Fighter movie.
Reigns was last seen at Clash in Paris, where he defeated Bronson Reed. After the match, he choked out his former advisor, Paul Heyman, only to be blindsided by Bron Breakker. Reed and Breakker unleashed a brutal assault, ending with several Tsunamis that left Reigns stretchered out by medical staff.
Last Saturday at Wrestlepalooza, Reed and Breakker defeated Reigns’ cousins, the Usos. After the show, WWE announced that their faction leader, World Champion Seth Rollins, would face Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel for the Men’s Crown Jewel Championship.
Reigns’ return couldn’t come at a better time. Wrestlepalooza, WWE’s first premium live event on ESPN’s new streaming platform, received mixed reviews — earning a C grade even on ESPN’s own site.
Depending on his role at Crown Jewel, Reigns could help boost both the show’s ratings and ESPN subscriptions despite the $30 monthly price tag.
