Two matches for new ceremonial championships highlight today’s WWE crown jewel from Saudi Arabia.

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes faces WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, and WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan takes on WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax for the Men’s and Women’s Crown Jewel Championships.

Roman Reigns is now reunited and will team up with The Usos to take on three members of The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga or Tonga Loa).

Seth Rollins will face Bronson Reed in a grudge match, while Randy Orton fights Kevin Owens in a high-profile fight.

WWE United States Champion LA Knight will defend against Carmelo Hayes and Andrade in a three-way fight, while WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair will defend against Chelsea Green & Piper Niven, Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson and IYO SKY & Kairi Sane in a four-way fight .

The main card begins at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Peacock/WWE Network.

*********

Show summary —

COUNTDOWN SHOW –

Michael Cole, Big E and Corey Graves hosted the two-hour countdown show outside the arena, surrounded by fans.

Gunther session interview

Joe Tessitore conducted a sit-down interview with Gunther. Gunther saw Randy Orton as a major obstacle before their first match. He knew that a win against Orton would change his career. However, before his match against Cody Rhodes, he already finds himself facing Rhodes. Rhodes came into this match with a lot of support, but was often thwarted.

Tessitore asked what it would be like to hold the big belt in his hands if he won. Gunther called it materialistic, but it would be nice and would allow him to call himself the number one champion in WWE and that’s what it was about.

********

Seth Rollins told Cathy Kelley that he isn’t 100%, but that has never stopped him. Today’s game against Bronson Reed was a big test, one of the biggest of his career. It wasn’t just about killing this monster, but also finding out what else it had left in the tank. He had his sights set on big things and needed to find out if this was the version of Seth Rollins ready to make another shot at the world title.

(That was a good promo and definitely better than the one on Raw that tried to tell us there was a monster inside him.)

********

There was an exceptionally long video package on Braun Strowman (who is injured and not on the show today).

Kevin Owens promo

Kelley interviewed Kevin Owens (wearing a Cowboy Bob Orton shirt). Owens was hilarious here. He told a story about how the company sent them to do some activities in the middle of the desert. They were told to have fun, so they took a dune buggy ride. This dune buggy rolled over three or four times. (Kelley confirmed this happened.)

They were in a car accident and he had no doubt the driver was paid by Orton or Rhodes. This was all because he attacked her golden boy, Cody. Now they forced him to do something he didn’t want to do and that was fight his friend Orton. He loved Orton. He apologized to Kelley, who was in the dune buggy with him and suffered collateral damage. He said whatever happened to Orton today was his own fault.

********

Triple H spoke to Nathalie Mamo about how great her deal with Saudi Arabia was. She asked if WWE would be here to stay and he said, “Yes.”

********

Jackie Redmond and Sheamus replaced Cole and Graves in the second hour of the pre-show.

There was a video of Big E trying local cuisine.

********

Cody Rhodes interview

Kelley interviewed Rhodes on his bus. She asked how he was. He said that if he had any complaints, they would be so superficial that they couldn’t compete with the fact that this was the happiest he had ever been professionally. It was a dream come true.

There was an element of leadership. This excited him because when he was in a leadership role in the past, he didn’t handle it well. He failed with his previous leadership, but at least he knew why. So this was an opportunity to get back in and maybe there was a leadership future that went beyond wrestling in WWE. He’s been thinking about this lately.

Kelley asked about the impact this has had on his family. She noted that Cody wanted to spend more time with his daughter, but his schedule was very demanding. Rhodes was willing to do more work Because his family. He was lucky to have Brandi and she was his rock.

He talked about working with Roman Reigns. The stone that appeared after that match was a reminder that he could stick his big, bald, shiny head into the mix at any time. He called Gunther the best on paper, but was also overconfident. Gunther didn’t get under his skin and Rhodes’ Universal title was the north star of their business.

********

Kelley interviewed Nia Jax backstage. She planned to destroy Liv Morgan and would destroy Raquel Rodriguez and Dominik Mysterio if she had to. She wasn’t worried about Tiffany Stratton because she knew it wasn’t time to make money.

Kelley interviewed LA Knight, whose birthday was yesterday. He didn’t celebrate his birthday because he was at the gym. He soiled the Cheerios of Nick Aldis, who was pretty upset because he spoiled the seventh match between Andrade El Idiot and Carmelo Hayes for him. Hayes said he didn’t miss, but he missed and will do it again. The odds were stacked against Knight throughout his career, but nothing would change. He would emerge from the race as champion.

********

One of the last things of the pre-show was a video package for AJ Styles (who is injured and not on the show today).

Cole and Graves appeared for comment.

********

CROWN JEWEL 2024 MAIN SHOW ––

Various wrestlers were shown arriving at the arena. The big belt also arrived.

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Roman Reigns & The Usos vs. Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu & Tama Tonga (w/Tonga Loa)

The new bloodline came in first. Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso performed together to Reigns’ music (while the crowd chanted “OTC”). Jey Uso was the last to walk through the crowd to his own music. The fans cheered and sang along to his song.

Everyone wore a combination of black and red except Jey, who wore his new blue, pink and white attire. When the bell rang, the show was already 20 minutes old.