Hall’s WWE Crown Jewel 2026 Review

Crown Jewel 2026
Date: November 7, 2026
Location: ANB Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Commentators: Corey Graves, Michael Cole

Well, we’re here. It’s the show that is so important that the company decided risking a potential terrorist attack was fine. So what’s on the line with this show? Bragging rights of course, in the form of the Crown Jewel Titles, which will mean absolutely nothing after this show. Let’s get to it.

The opening video talks about what it means to be the best and how none of the champions will settle for second place.

Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes

Last Man Standing. Orton jumps him to start fast and stomps on the leg in the corner. Rhodes avoids a charge into the post though, sending Orton out to the floor for an early breather. Orton drops him onto the announcers’ table, which works so well that he does it again. The cover of the announcers’ table is bridged and Rhodes goes through that as well. They fight into the crowd where Orton gets the required trashcan to knock Rhodes silly again.

Orton sends him over to the barricade but Rhodes gets in a shot, allowing him to grab some water. Back in the ring and Orton gets in some kendo stick shots to take over again, only for Rhodes to take it away and fire off his own shots. They fight up the aisle with Orton hammering away before sending him head first into the set. Orton gets in a powerbomb through a table, which of course isn’t enough for the ten.

Instead Rhodes grabs a hanging DDT of his own (Graves: “Come on Cole! VINTAGE RHODES!”) but Orton is right back with the superplex. There’s the powerslam to drop Rhodes again so he fights back and hits one of his own. The Cody Cutter connects, only for Orton to come back with an RKO. That’s enough to send Rhodes rolling to the floor, where he avoids a steps shot.

Rhodes knocks him onto the announcers’ table and, of course, loads up a ladder. The splash off of said ladder only hits the table though and they’re both down. That’s only good for nine so they head back inside, where Orton misses a Punt. Another Cody Cutter doesn’t have the best impact (thankfully commentary acknowledges that part) so it’s Cross Rhodes to drop Orton again.

That’s good for a nine so Rhodes brings the steps inside. The big chair shot is countered with the chair shot so Rhodes gives him three straight Cross Rhodes. Orton rolls into the steps to cut him open but Rhodes stops the count. Now Rhodes hits the Punt and I guess that’s supposed to be the big moment? I mean it doesn’t feel like anything close to one but it’s enough to give Rhodes the win at 27:11.

Rating: C+. Uh yeah. This was far too long and the big moment at the end, which had to happen after the build they set up, was totally flat. Rhodes desperately needs something fresh and I don’t know how they’re going to do that. This had some fine moments, but it was banging its head against a hard ceiling and the Punt deal at the end really wasn’t anything great. Big disappointment here.

We recap the Bloodline vs. 946.

Raw Tag Team Titles: Penta/Je’Von Evans vs. The Vision

Vision, with Maxxine Dupri, is defending. Theory and Evans start things off with Evans getting knocked into the corner. That doesn’t last long as it’s back to Penta, who comes in for some double superkicks to send Breakker outside. The stereo dives take the champs out again and a frog splash gives Evans two back inside. The champs take over on Penta though and Breakker’s elbow to the face gets two.

A high crossbody hits Breakker, who is right back with a shot to the mask. Breakker grabs a chinlock and Theory comes back in to hammer away as well. Penta fights up and gets the tag to Evans, whose Red Dot Kick is countered into a Blue Thunder Bomb. A German suplex/clothesline combination gets two on Evans but it’s back to Penta.

The slingshot dropkick in the corner connects but Theory takes over on Penta again. Another comeback is interrupted by an interfering Bronson Reed…so here is Oba Femi. They collide on the stage and Femi launches him off the stage and through a table. Breakker has the big staredown with Femi until Penta takes Breakker out with a dive. Evans tags himself in and it’s a Mexican Destroyer into the OG Cutter for the pin and the titles at 14:35.

Rating: B-. I like seeing the title change as the Vision had been doing nothing with them (I believe this was their first televised title defense since winning the belts in July) but that brings up the other problem. It’s pretty clear that the titles mean very little, so therefore the title change means very little. I’m not expecting this to be some game changer reign, but at least it’s something new after so many months. Granted it’s not a great sign when this was more about Femi, but you know what you’re getting with these belts.

Video on the announcement of the John Cena Classic.

We recap Chelsea Green vs. Liv Morgan for the Women’s Crown Jewel Title. Green doesn’t believe she belongs here but wants to prove herself.

Women’s Crown Jewel Title: Liv Morgan vs. Chelsea Green

Neither is defending. Morgan takes her down to start and gets in a pat to the head so Green grabs a rollup for two. A clothesline takes Green back down and Morgan hammers away before sending Green into the corner. Morgan’s Codebreaker gets two and the middle rope faceplant gets the same. The comeback attempt is quickly cut off and there are the Three Amigos so Morgan can dance a bit.

Morgan goes up and gets caught, with the superplex bringing her back down. Green tries a sliding…something but gets Codebreakered out of the air for two. The Backstabber is blocked but the Rough Ryder is countered into a powerbomb to give Morgan two more. Oblivion misses and Green hits the Rough Ryder for another near fall. Back up and Morgan grabs a quick springboard Codebreaker, followed by a half crab.

That’s broken up as well and Green superkicks her out of the air. Green knocks her outside for a suicide dive and hits the Unpretty-Her for two back inside as Morgan gets a foot on the rope. Cue Judgment Day for a distraction and a middle rope Codebreaker hits Green. Oblivion is loaded up but Green drops down onto her for the rollup pin at 16:01.

Rating: C+. The end result is what mattered the most here as after the promo battle on Smackdown last night, Green absolutely had to win. They treated her like the biggest underdog in the world and thankfully she won clean, even with Judgment Day popping up. Green is going to have to deal with Tiffany Stratton soon enough and Morgan has her challengers lined up. The result was right here so I’ll take that, even after a mostly mediocre match.

Post match Green gets the special belt and the ring from HHH. She is proud of herself and loads up Morgan’s line so Morgan jumps her from behind. And here is Tiffany Stratton to jump Morgan. The cash-in is teased so Judgment Day runs in, only to get cut off by Green. Then Stratton hits Green with the briefcase and here we go.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Chelsea Green vs. Tiffany Stratton

Stratton is challenging and wins with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever (which connected before the bell) at 4 seconds.

We recap Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn for the Men’s Crown Jewel Title. They have a history in the Bloodline and much like the women’s version, Zayn doesn’t feel respected. Reigns claims credit for Zayn’s success and Zayn is ready to prove him wrong.

Men’s Crown Jewel Title: Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn

Neither is defending. Zayn actually backs him into the corner to start and Reigns is already not pleased. Reigns knocks him down so Zayn runs the ropes and sends him out to the floor. The frustrated Reigns gets back inside but Zayn is right back on him, including a middle rope ax handle for two. Reigns isn’t having this and knocks him into the corner for the series of clotheslines.

The apron boot gives Reigns two so he loads up a superplex (and advertises it loudly), with Zayn reversing into a sunset bomb for two. The release Rock Bottom puts Zayn down again but he gets the Blue Thunder Bomb for the same. Zayn misses the Helluva Kick but avoids the Superman Punch, setting up the Helluva Kick for two. Another Superman Punch hits the referee by mistake, meaning another Helluva Kick can connect for another near fall.

Zayn Helluva Kicks the replacement referee (on purpose) and grabs the belt, only to eat a spear for a rather delayed two. Reigns yells at him a lot and wins a slugout but Zayn gets up and tells Reigns to give everything he has. Another Superman Punch connects and Reigns tries another, which is countered into an exploder. The Helluva Kick eats a Superman Punch but Zayn is back with one of his own. Then Reigns spears him down twice for the pin at 24:18.

Rating: B. It was good and Zayn’s comeback worked as usual but that’s a big Reigns match for you. There’s only so much that can be done with the result almost always being the same and hey, the lesser of the two World Champions looks even lesser than usual. It was great to see Zayn making one of those heroic comebacks because he does it so well, but the result was another flat one for Reigns.

Post match HHH comes out to present the title but Zayn cuts him off, demanding a handshake from Reigns. That isn’t happening, because Reigns gives him a big respectful hug instead. Reigns hits the catchphrase and holds up the Crown Jewel Title to end the show.

Results
Cody Rhodes b. Randy Orton when Orton couldn’t answer the ten count
Je’Von Evans/Penta b. The Vision – OG Cutter to Theory
Chelsea Green b. Tiffany Stratton – Rollup
Tiffany Stratton b. Chelsea Green – Prettiest Moonsault Ever
Roman Reigns b. Sami Zayn – Spear

 

 

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6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

The action was ok but this show did not feel important and even came off as flat at times. There’s only so much you can get when the two advertised title matches felt so meaningless and the Last Man Standing match was a big letdown. It’s not a bad show from a technical sense and some titles changed hands, but I wasn’t interested in this show coming in and it didn’t live up to the expectations.