WWE’s annual PLE ‘Crown Jewel’ took place this past Saturday October 11th, live from the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Which in turn means it took place at the crack of dawn over here in The Lou, 7 am to be exact. I didn’t really even expect to be up and awake at the start of the show and just figured I’d catch it in a rewatch when I got up, but after passing out early on my Friday night because I’m getting old, I found myself awake at 6:30 on a Saturday morning and was able to flip this on as I got my day started. Rather nice change of pace to kick off my weekend, but kudos to you Europeans and Australians, I don’t expect I’d wanna be doing that for every PLE that WWE puts on. Now after spilling all that unnecessary information on you all, let’s get into it.
The show opened with the hometown boy Big Bronson Reed taking on the OTC Roman Reigns in an Australian Street Fight (which pretty much means just a street fight that’s taking place in Australia I guess). The crowd was strongly behind Roman in the early goings of the match, much to the dismay of Reed. This allowed Roman to gain the early upper hand as he played with the fans and fought Reed up into the crowd. It took Reed a minute to get his wits about him but once he did this turned into a much more back and forth affair as stairs, kendo sticks, and garbage cans were brought into the equation. Eventually Bron Breakker made his presence known ringside as he arrived and leveled Reigns with a spear. This allowed the opening for The Usos to enter the fold to come assist Roman. All hell began to break loose shortly after as all 5 men battled in and around the ringside area, which led to Roman and Bronson finding themselves alone in the ring once again. They began to do battle until Jey reentered the ring and accidentally speared Roman through a table that was set up on the turnbuckle while attempting to nail Reed. This would prove to be the beginning of the end as Breakker disposed of Jey and Bronson added more damage to the already downed Reigns with a Tsunami for the pin and win. After the match, Roman yelled at Jimmy & Jey before storming out of the ring and Jimmy & Jey seemed to be upset with one another as well.
Next up, the Women’s Crown Jewel Championship was on the line as Women’s World Champ Stephanie Vaquer did battle with the WWE Women’s Champ Tiffany Stratton. These women both had respect for one another coming into this match, but that went out the window as the bell rang. The crowd chanted back and forth for both women in the early goings of the match as the 2 locked up and felt each other out. This match took a minute to get going but once it did, both women delivered an aggressive and high energy performance in an attempt to keep the other one down, and the pride of both these women wouldn’t allow either to stay down for long. In the end after a back and forth, offensive swap of a battle Stratton went to the top rope to attempt a PME for a 2nd time of the contest, but like the first, Vaquer would counter again and get out of the way of it, setting her up for a corkscrew moonsault onto Stratton for the pin and win. After the match, HHH came to the ring and congratulated Stephanie before presenting her with the Crown Jewel Championship and ring.
Next up, we had the ‘Phenomenal’ AJ Styles stepping into the ring with the ‘Greatest of All Time’ John Cena to lock up and go to war with each other one final time. This felt more like a create-a-character match than it did a John Cena or AJ Styles match because rather than use the move set we’re used to seeing from the 2, both men used lots of signature and finishing moves from their various opponents throughout the years. This felt like a tip of the cap to the boys in the back that were a part of both their careers as much as it felt like a 1-on-1 match to be honest. John Cena got his usual introduction from Alicia Taylor that he’s been getting on this retirement tour and even had a shining handwritten introduction for AJ Styles that he had Alicia read off. The match got underway and both men took their time settling into the bout, eating up the energy from the crowd and using tests of strengths and head locks to try and ground the other. AJ Styles got the upper hand first and used his quick style to outpace Cena early, leading to TNA chants from the crowd. Cena got back into it after a 5 Knuckle Shuffle and AA combo that nearly got him the win but proved not to be enough. This was more or less what started that back and forth various finishers sequences from both men. We saw Cena hit an RKO and a Sister Abigail, Styles hit an AA and a Sweet Chin Music, but nothing could keep the men down for a full 3 count. The live crowd and Michael Cole alike were losing their minds as each new finisher was pulled out of the bag by both men. It took Cena finally hitting AJ with a Tombstone Piledriver and following it up with an AA for the pin and win. This wasn’t one of Cena/Styles best affairs they’ve ever had, but it was still a fun enough one, and it went off I’m sure exactly the way they wanted it to for their final time.
Next up the hometown hero Rhea Ripley teamed up with Iyo Sky to wage war against Iyo’s former wrestling family, The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane). Rhea started the match briefly because the crowd would have it no other way, but the match didn’t truly pick up the pace and get going until Iyo entered the ring. Asuka and Iyo battled with Iyo gaining the momentary advantage for much of it before Kairi made her presence known and begrudgingly cheap shotted Iyo to give Asuka the upper hand. This led to a long double team beatdown sequence from the quick tagging Kabuki Warriors on Iyo as she desperately tried to make it to her corner to tag in Rhea. Iyo made the hot tag in to Rhea who came in with a major head of steam and this match broke down with all 4 women doing battle all over the ring shortly thereafter. In the end though, Kairi (who still can’t let go of Asuka and her toxic ways) sacrificed herself for the Empress of Tomorrow and ate a Riptide followed up by an Over the Moonsault for her troubles courtesy of Rhea & Iyo, for the pin and win.
Then, it was time for the main event. The World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins found himself in a must win situation as he went to war against a man he’s never beaten, the WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, in a match for the Crown Jewel Championship. I liked the added stakes and pressure applied to Seth in this match, with Heyman & The Vision all but telling him he has to win this one on his own and if he can’t then he loses their faith and the right to be their leader. Seth applied that pressure to himself as well by drilling home the fact that he’s never beaten Cody in a 1-on-1 match, it gave this bout an added layer of excitement and really made it feel like a big match between 2 of the very top stars in the company currently. Rhodes came out with a head of steam early and sent Rollins out of the ring, giving him a moment to regroup and get his wits about him. Rollins worked Rhodes leg and the 2 methodically fought back and forth for a while before things really started to break down and big moves started being landed. Rollins injured his left arm after a diving headbutt style Coast-to-Coast to Cody and Cody hit a mega Cross Rhodes to Rollins off of the top rope, but Seth still found a way to get his shoulder up at 2 and a half. In the end, with the ref momentarily distracted, Rollins used the watch that Cody gifted him after Mania XL as modified brass knuckles and cold clocked Cody in the jaw when he had him in position for the Cross Rhodes. This dropped Cody to his knees and gave Seth the opening to hit the Stomp for the pin and win. After the match, HHH came in to congratulate Rollins and present him with the Crown Jewel Championship and ring as he celebrated.
Match ratings: 1-10 scale (.25 applicable)
Australian Street Fight: Bronson Reed vs Roman Reigns – 7.5/10
Women’s Crown Jewel Championship match: Stephanie Vaquer vs Tiffany Stratton – 8/10
John Cena vs AJ Styles – 8/10
Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky vs The Kabuki Warriors – 7/10
Men’s Crown Jewel Championship match: Seth Rollins vs Cody Rhodes – 9/10
That’s all for this one folks! I’ll be back soon to talk more WWE, NFL, and horror films with you all but in the meantime, please explore the page and check out any and all of my previous posts if you’d like more! Thank you, be good to each other!
