wrestling / Columns
Watry’s WWE Crown Jewel Review
Not going to lie. I kinda, sorta forgot about Crown Jewel when I wrote my column last week. Thus, reader feedback for October 2018 gets pushed back another few days. I’m sure you are all heartbroken.
Crown Jewel Review
The controversial event was never going to be cancelled. No matter what was going on in the world or how many people suddenly decided to take a moral stance on wrestling. My thoughts were pretty simple from a fan’s perspective. If you wanted to “prove a point” by boycotting or protesting Crown Jewel, then go ahead. By all means, it is your choice. However, if you just wanted to talk a big game and put out a bunch of false outrage but STILL planned to watch, then boo hoo. Actually take a stance or sit down. Onto the show…
– I caught enough of the Kickoff Show to see Shinsuke Nakamura defeating Rusev to keep the United States Championship. Obviously the right move. The international folks sure do love them some Rusev Day though. Oh, and Renee Young is on commentary. Huh. Imagine that. One event into a ten year deal and already progress being made?
– Hulk Hogan is the host of Crown Jewel. Been a few years since we saw the man, the myth, the legend. Everyone knew he would return eventually. I have no strong feelings on it one way or another. Zero pushback from yours truly. Welcome back Hulkster!
– Rey Mysterio over Randy Orton was probably what many expected. The quick roll up was also predictable. I loved the matchup because it played into their memorable 2006 feud and was a nice throwback for the nostalgia living folks in attendance. Orton only went on the trip for the dollar, so my guess is he took the first flight out of town afterwards. Sadly for Mr. 619, he took a beatdown from The Viper for good measure, rather than celebrate a victory. Bad omen for his semi-finals bout.
– The Miz over Jeff Hardy clean was surprising. I am a fan of it though. If The Miz is going to win the World Cup tournament and spring board that to a WWE Championship, he needs some of these quality wins. Not ALL of his wins have to be cheap. I wrote about The Best In The World two weeks ago, so two matches in, no complaints. Event is moving along at a brisk pace.
– Shocking upset in my mind with Seth Rollins beating Lashley one, two, three in the middle of the ring. Wow. I thought Kurt Angle and Lashley were on a collision course here. Props to WWE on the big curveball. I guess the recent Dean Ambrose turn wasn’t used as an excuse to lose. Disappointing Lashley lost once again. Seth “rolls” on.
– Another upset! Wow. Dolph Ziggler over Kurt Angle clean. No funny business in this tourney yet. I like it. My Angle vs. Lashley hope was not meant to be. I mean, Ziggler and Rollins do have great chemistry, but we have seen that enough. A means to an end as I have neither winning it all. I said on Twitter the Raw side would be unpredictable. How right I was!
– The Bar defeated The New Day to retain the Smackdown Live Tag Team Titles. Big Show interfering did in Big E. I don’t even care about the dirty finish. As long as we are FINALLY done with New Day as champs. Please. Pretty please?
– The Miz over Rey Mysterio. Pretty much fair and square. No real shockers on the blue side. I thought it’d be Miz over Rey Rey, and it was. Wrote about it after the same bout happened on Smackdown Live. Good match here. I love these quick sprints. Seth Rollins or Dolph Ziggler, it won’t matter. I have Miz winning the whole darn thing. Similar bragging tool as Chris Jericho reminding us for years he beat The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin in the same night…
– What???? Dolph Ziggler beats Seth Rollins???? Okay, the Raw side was definitely unpredictable. I did not see that coming, especially with a Dean Ambrose appearance. That was what I had pegged for the finals. Either way, Miz remains my pick. No clue why heel vs. heel for all the marbles was the decision made. Intriguing.
– AJ Styles takes care of Samoa Joe in quick fashion. The match was fine. Obviously a last minute fill in and plans being thrown together. Sucks for Joe but good for AJ. Moving on…
– Brock Lesnar is your Universal Champion once again. Thanks to a cheating Baron Corbin, Braun Strowmam never stood a chance. I know many will be upset, but it was the correct call. If WWE wanted to make Braun the champ, they have had multiple opportunities and passed each time. It’s no surprise at all that the company would go back to The Beast with Roman Reigns out for awhile, much less with the UFC comeback rumors still going. Double champion? It’s a tempting headline…so is a Brock vs. Styles rematch at Survivor Series. Win-win scenario for WWE!
– The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler for the World Cup trophy ended with Shane McMahon winning. I…I…I don’t even know what just happened. Clearly a Raw vs. Smackdown set up but ummmm…okay. Give me a few days to process this all. Gotta admit – dude did looked jacked.
– Sue me. I got jacked up for the historic main event. Sorry. Goosebumps and tons of nostalgia. Just seeing Shawn Michaels line up against The Undertaker one more time. So freakin cool. The match had it’s rough spots, no doubt. Nitpicks aside, the fans were into it every step of the way as was my girlfriend and I, who totally called DX winning from the beginning. I enjoyed it, even if HBK returning was a ‘never say never’ moment for me. Kane losing of the bunch was fairly predictable. Still, fun ride and fitting close to the story. No need for more matches. I’m good.
SUMMARY: Interesting show. You can’t say it was boring or dull, that’s for sure. WWE got in, got out, and got paid. Mission accomplished, all the while delivering some quality entertainment.
Cheap Plugs
Nodq.com
@JustinWatry
Thanks.
