WWE CROWN JEWEL

 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BROCK LESNAR vs. BOBBY LASHLEY (6:00): I haven't reviewed the last couple of Crown Jewel events in Saudi Arabia because the first few were so terrible. They've gotten better for whatever reason and now they're pretty much just regular, typical WWE PPV's with a few quirks (very few women in the audience...the women wrestlers not being allowed to show their bare arms or legs...basically the only difference is women are punished and seen as "lesser" humans). Shockingly the main event was Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns. Maybe even the WWE was sick of that match. This was a typical, short, all action Lesnar affair. It was all big moves and it was fun to watch. **1/2

DAMAGE CTRL (DAKOTA KAI & IYO SKY) vs. ALEXA BLISS & ASUKA (12:50): This match was the main event on the RAW before this PPV. Damage Control won the tag titles on RAW and retained here thanks to interference by Nikki Cross. Cross isn't doing her stupid Superhero gimmick anymore. That's one good thing that changed since Vince McMahon was fired. The thought of HHH taking over the WWE had been something fans have salivated over for years because we all thought the WWE would suddenly be great again. It's only been a few months but sadly that hasn't happened. There have been a few good changes. Austin Theory and Matt Riddle got their first names back. Nikki Cross isn't doing a dumb Superhero gimmick. Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt are back. I kind of really wished the changes had been much, much better than that. As for this match? Forgettable. *

DREW McINTYRE vs. KARRION KROSS "STEEL CAGE MATCH" (13:00): McIntyre finally won a match. Nobody jumped off the cage, although McIntyre pulled Kross off the top and slammed him from the top rope. Scarlett sprayed something into McIntyre and the ref's eyes at one point. This wasn't very good. *

THE JUDGMENT DAY (FINN BALOR, DAMIAN PRIEST & DOMINIK MYSTERIO) vs. THE O.C. (AJ STYLES, LUKE GALLOWS & KARL ANDERSON) (14:00): Karl Anderson was booked to defend his title in New Japan on the same day as this show. He decided to just no-show the Japan show for whatever reason. I wonder why New Japan let him sign a contract with the WWE if he was a champion there? Or maybe he wasn't under contract in New Japan. NJPW did put him on the map. You'd think he'd like...respect that. Anderson & Gallows also gave their word they would join AEW and debut on the very first Dynamite and then went and signed with Impact...so Anderson isn't exactly the most loyal dude. This was a by-the-numbers match. When I was watching this I realized how much more dynamic and exciting the wrestling is in AEW compared to the WWE. The wrestling in the WWE for the most part is stale, pedestrian, and very manicured and pristine. There are exceptions, but few (Sheamus vs. Gunther from Cardiff being one example). That makes most of these matches entertaining but nothing to write home about. **

BRAUN STROWMAN vs. OMOS (7:20): Was this as bad as you would expect? That's a good question. It was better than Goldberg vs. The Undertaker at that Crown Jewel a few years ago. That might've been the worst wrestling match in history, though. I mean...you got what you expected. 1/2*

THE USO'S vs. THE BRAWLING BRUTES (BUTCH & RIDGE HOLLAND) (10:45): I'm not sure why they haven't changed Butch's name back to Pete Dunne. They should probably change Gunter's name back to Walter, too. Pete Dunne is awesome so it's nice he's actually wrestling now and basically wrestling as Pete Dunne unlike that weird newspaper boy character Vince turned him into. The Uso's retained their tag titles. They're facing The New Day on Smackdown and if they win they will have the longest tag team title reign in WWE history. The New Day supposedly has the record. This was an entertaining match. **1/2

BIANCA BELAIR vs. BAYLEY "LAST WOMAN STANDING MATCH" (20:20): This was another entertaining match. The ending was dumb, though. Bayley was trapped under a ladder and couldn't get up at 10. They used a Singapore cane, a steel chair, a table, and a golf cart. It was fun. After this match, Bray Wyatt came out and did a promo. Considering the crowds love his entrances but couldn't give a shit about him wrestling...maybe he should only do promo's. **1/2

ROMAN REIGNS vs. LOGAN PAUL (24:50): I'm glad that Logan Paul was in the main event instead of some old, has been legend that's usually main eventing these Saudi shows. Seeing a bald Shawn Michaels doing a moonsault onto his face was so sad. And don't even get me started on that Goldberg/'Taker match. Logan Paul, though, is actually great in the ring. He even did a top rope frog splash onto Roman on the announce table. Logan also injured his knee and will be out of action for a while. They did the classic, multiple interference spot in this match which the WWE loves to do. The Uso's came out. Jake Paul came out. Solo Sikoa came out. Two of Logan Paul's friends that were sitting at ringside came into the ring to get super kicked by The Uso's. Reigns eventually won with a spear. They did a ton of near falls for Logan in this match. It's probably good that this match happened in Saudi Arabia because anywhere else Logan would have been booed out of the building, but he was cheered here. Good main event. ***