On November 2nd, WWE will return* to Saudi Arabia to honour their deal with the wealthy nation. Due to the amount of money Vince McMahon is getting for these shows abroad, he has prioritised them over other big pay-per-views by getting names like The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, John Cena, and Rey Mysterio to join the star cast.
The reported $45 million Saudi are paying WWE, surely makes it a lot easier for them to lure the likes of Lesnar and Undertaker back to the squared circle. However, their wealthy hosts have also requested wrestlers that may strike some as strange choices, mainly because those wrestlers have passed away. Names like Yokozuna and Ultimate Warrior had been thrown out by the Saudi Prince, which highlights just how up to date his wrestling knowledge is.
So with those crazy suggestions in mind, it makes sense WWE has got Shawn Michaels to go back on his retirement and wrestle at their Crown Jewel show. But with the company allowing that to happen, we really could be in store for some crazy surprises in the future. And to stay on the crazy train, we have some matches that we believe need to happen at Crown Jewel.
- Shawn Michaels vs Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart
Steph Franchomme believes this match should be on the card, and here’s what she had to say:
“With Shawn Michaels coming back to a WWE ring to wrestle, and because it’s a crazy card, more than one wrestling fan hoped Hart and Michaels could put an end to the 1997 infamous screwjob with a match.
What happened in Montreal will remain in Montreal forever and the fact Crown Jewel is taking place in Saudi Arabia makes it a neutral place to make things come to an end once and for all. Of course, Hart is sixty-one and not in shape to wrestle, and Shawn Michaels would be going back on his word. But like I said before, it’s a crazy card…”
- NWO vs The Shield
Now, would you put Hulk Hogan in a WrestleMania match? Hell no! The man struggles to walk, let alone perform wrestling moves. But clearly, these Saudi Arabia shows are not normal wrestling shows. It’s about the money, and they are in front of an uneducated audience whose taste is far different than fans around the world. So why not make the countries Prince happy by delivering arguably the biggest name in the history of professional wrestling, Hulk Hogan.
An NWO versus Shield match not only allows the likes of Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Hulk Hogan to be carried by three of the best performers, but regardless of how ludicrous this combination is, everyone would tune in. Plus, it’s a nice way to create big stars in the eyes of a new fanbase.
- John Cena vs The Undertaker
With all the big names coming up, we would not dare leave out The Undertaker and John Cena from this discussion. Arguably the greatest superstar in WWE history and the biggest star in the last fifteen years and regardless of their brief encounter at this year’s WrestleMania, fans still have not seen a match between these two.
So with Saudi becoming the place, even more so than WrestleMania, where the big names have to be present – what better match to put together than Undertaker versus John Cena. Not only are they big names, but they can right the wrong of WrestleMania 34 by giving an entertaining showdown that the fans deserve to see out of these two megastars!
- Brock Lesnar vs AJ Styles
Last year at Survivor Series, AJ Styles and Brock Lesnar tore the house down in one of the best matches of 2017. ‘The Beast’ went all out to not only put on a show but also make Styles look like a top superstar in everybody’s eyes. So instead of Brock Lesnar taking on Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns in a triple threat, how about we have ourselves a rematch for the WWE title.
Not only is this a match capable of tearing the house down, but it can also give the new fans a taste of what a great ‘sports entertainment’ bout looks like in 2018. It’s clear Lesnar is an important part of these shows because WWE have broken the bank to bring him back, so why not use him to enhance their full-time WWE champion’s status on a big show. Yes, we mean an AJ Styles victory!
- Ronda Rousey vs Shayna Baszler
No, seriously, a women’s match in Saudi Arabia! With all the heat the company and country get for not allowing female superstars to perform on these shows (rightfully so), maybe old Ronda can push a deal through like she did to get women in the UFC. And if somehow the miracle takes place, we have the perfect opponent for the champ. Her fellow Four Horsewomen member, Shayna Baszler!
Ronda Rousey is fantastic, and she’s a megastar, but it can be challenging to find her a credible opponent. It’s a similar situation to Brock Lesnar, who could believably take down the unstoppable champion? Well, not only is Shayna believable, she has an MMA background to counter Ronda’s offence. Add in the history between the two, that’s one hell of a match right there.
So if it’s all about the money and the names, how about we see some of these matchups at WWE Crown Jewel, it certainly would not hurt the company to try.
Other contributing writers: Mark Fox and David Garlick.
*Let’s be honest, will return is up in the air at the moment – Features Ed.