Review of WWE Crown Jewel

I'm sorry to say this, but no amount of alcoholic 'Crown Royale,' can make this pay per view seem any better. It was still a royal pain in the butt for most fans to watch. Not only in terms of lousy storytelling, mediocre matches, but also the real life controversies surrounding the event. For example, the return of wrestler, Hulk Hogan to WWE programming, following since his 2015's leaked sex tape scandal, in which he was heard using racial slurs. Don't get me wrong, I believe that bigotry people can change for the better & forgiveness is indeed needed, but having him, host this foreign show, was not the best way to come at that. In truth, WWE should had aired a one hour documentary special like 'WWE 24' or 'WWE 365', that shows in details, that his opinions toward African Americans had change for the better. Without that, it looks like, he got away, scot free. As for the other controversies, such as the show not allowing women wrestlers to perform due to strict Islamic law in Saudi Arabia. Maybe, it would had been wise to host, two all-women pay per views in the United States, rather than one show before it. Why, because it would had couther, the negatively that the Saudi General Sports Authority has two major wrestling shows in the year, this PPV, and earlier 'the Greatest Royal Rumble' in April 2018. Still, what would be better yet, is for WWE not to cater to the state suppressing women's rights and honestly, fight for them to be on the show. Sadly, WWE didn't go, with any of these choices. As for the last controversy, surrounding the killing of journalist, Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudi Arabia government. The only way, I can see it, is that WWE had to promote it. They were not ways of backing out or cancelling the show, due to the prior legal obligations to the 10-year strategic multiplatform partnership between them and the General Sports Authority. Cancelling it would had cause heavy fines that could clearly bankrupted the promotion. Unless, the US government cease or boycott all businesses, dealing with Saudi Arabia, which, is very unlikely, due to the huge amount of weapon and oil deals. Instead, what the wrestling company should had done, is never openly promoted the show in the United States, and just focus on airing it, quietly in neutral countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Russia, in order to inline, with their prior support of Saudi Vision 2030. This was their biggest mistake, not only because WWE Stock prices dropped, but also the company came under harsh criticism and fire from the social media. The controversy also led to the company's top stars, John Cena and Daniel Bryan, choosing to bow out of the event, leading to some baffling last minute booking. One such example is the WWE Championship between champion, AJ Styles and Samoa Joe. Joe was quickly shoehorn as a replacement for Bryan, despite his feud with Styles ending very well, at the last PPV, 'Super-Show Down'. The match here was not great. There was no in ring story. It was just a generic series of key moves that had that little direction. It's clear that they had no time to prepare for this. As for the other title matches, the WWE United States Championship contest between champion, Shinsuke Nakamura against challenger, Rusev had no storyline build to it, and the short forgettable match was subjected to the preshow. Wow, talk about not making your champions seem important. Why was Shinsuke not in the World Cup tournament? He is the US champ. Shouldn't he be there? Anyways, the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship match between champions, The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus) (c) (with Big Show) versus the challenger, The New Day (Big E and Kofi Kingston) (with Xavier Woods) was probably the best match of the night, even if, the fans seen these two teams fight, many times before. The highlight of night has to be, that magic carpet entrance. As for the Universal Championship match for the vacant title, between Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman. I hate that the duel was a quick squash. It makes Strowman look weak and Lesnar, so, so lazy. Anyways, if Roman Reigns didn't had to relinquish title to leukemia, the original triple threat would probably end, nearly the same way. That's truly pathetic. And as for the World Cup Tournament matches with Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, Kurt Angle, the Miz, Bobby Lashley, Seth Rollins and Jeff Hardy. They were all full of repetitive rest holds, over amount of posing, awful commentary & rushed finishes. None of them, worked. The finals with the twist ending with Shane McMahon made every other previous match seem like a waste of time. Plus, it's weird to have a World Cup with all only WWE American wrestlers. It doesn't make sense. That's bring us to the main event. D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) versus The Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane) was botchy as hell, resulting in a lot of real life injuries to a lot of the pass their prime wrestlers. Also, HBK's return to wrestling after 8 years away was slightly disappointing, due to him, fighting the same people, rather than new opponents. It seem like a wasted. I also hate, that this match, ruins the 'End of the Era' storyline. Overall: I have to say, WWE has one of the best roster that they ever had, and they still put a miserable show. Nobody seem like the 'Best in the World' that night, not even the annoying fans chanting CM Punk. Bottom line, wrestling fans might be better off pretending this show held at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia got canceled. This is one jewel that deserved to be buried in the sands of time for real.