WWE Should Remember What The True Crown Jewel Is

Crown Jewel events for WWE aren’t new. We’ve been discussing them for over a year now. Most of these events haven’t happened without controversy, given the political and cultural climates involved. WWE has (justifiably) taken flak over their willingness to push “big” shows thanks in part to piles of Saudi money, and the latest in their long term deal happens on October 31. With the next big Middle East show just a few weeks away, it’s worth saying this once again: WWE should remember what the true crown jewel is.

Wrestlemania predictions

As in, take care to honestly protect WrestleMania.

WWE announced this morning that they will hold a press event Friday morning in Las Vegas, which promises to have Brock Lesnar, Cain Velasquez, Tyson Fury and Braun Strowman a part of it.

It is, of course, expected that during this event, WWE will announce that the two anticipated matches will happen during the Crown Jewel event on October 31.

Over the course of several of these events (and also the Super ShowDown events, for what it’s worth), we’ve seen some bigger matches take place. Matches that normally would have almost only ever happened at WrestleMania. Undertaker and Kane teaming together. Shawn Michaels coming out of retirement. Goldberg and The Undertaker, for the first time ever (though, as bad as that was, perhaps it was best to not happen at ‘Mania?). Soon we will add Lesnar/Velasquez and Strowman/Fury.

It’s been said by others. I believe I’ve said it as well in previous posts, but I will say it again now for sure-these are the types of matches that used to be reserved for WWE’s true crown jewel, the biggest show of the year, the Showcase of the Immortals, WrestleMania. Now, these matches might not be as massive as say, Rock-Cena, where we had a full year of build…but when we’ve seen big crossovers happen…more often than not, it goes down at ‘Mania. Sure, sometimes it might be at another show, but even then, it’s usually one of the fabled “Big Four”.

Now, I won’t say that Tyson Fury is on a level similar to Floyd Mayweather…but when we got Mayweather battling The Big Show? That was at WrestleMania. When Mike Tyson got in on the fun? WrestleMania. Fans still want to see exceptional wrestling at WrestleMania…but we also expect to get some big and special matches that generally don’t happen any other show of the year too…and WWE is now watering that down because of a lucrative deal.

What’s worse is that, so far, no women have been able to wrestle on a Saudi show, given how that country treats women in that sense. I am not going political here, just pointing out the facts. Sure, Renee Young worked commentary on the last one…but we didn’t get to see Sasha or Charlotte or Becky or anyone in the ring, and fans around the world should. As Charlotte said on RAW during the MizTV segment on Monday, we don’t need to classify her and Becky as two of the most dominant female Superstars…but rather just as two of the most dominant Superstars. But…you won’t see them working on October 31st, baring some historic shift between now and then.

I get it…WWE runs a business, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia made them a great deal. I understand it, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it. I didn’t like it earlier in the year when WWE hyped a prior appearance as “bigger than WrestleMania”, and I don’t like seeing WM-level matches happen but not on that stage. I suppose my only solace is that, for the most part, these shows have ended up getting graded out as “glorified house shows”, but the reality is…you wouldn’t offer up the first-ever WWE match between Cain Velasquez and Brock Lesnar on a house show, would you?

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