Wrestling fans in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, watched Cody Rhodes survive a brutal brawl against Randy Orton and saw new World Tag Team champions crowned on Saturday as WWE hosted Crown Jewel.
The premium live event took place at the ANB Arena, according to Sports Illustrated and Forbes, though ESPN identified the site as The Venue. The broadcast experienced an eight-minute delay between the live feed and the show, Forbes reported, as the promotion traveled under heightened regional security scrutiny. The U.S. Embassy currently maintains a Level 3 travel advisory for Riyadh urging travelers to reconsider travel amid Houthi missile activity in the region, while TKO executive Mark Shapiro maintained that the company implemented comprehensive safety measures for performers, according to Forbes.
Rhodes Survives Hostile Crowd and Orton
The card kicked off with an intense Last Man Standing collision between former allies Rhodes and Orton. Despite his role as a fan favorite, Rhodes faced substantial hostility from the overseas audience, which serenaded Orton and showered Rhodes with chants of “Cody sucks” and “overrated,” Forbes reported.
The two competitors fought through the crowd, traded blows with kendo sticks, and traded falls through tables. At one point, Orton powerbombed Rhodes through a table on the entrance ramp, but Rhodes beat referee Charles Robinson’s count at eight, according to Forbes. Later, Rhodes leaped from a ladder onto an announce table, but Orton rolled clear, sending Rhodes crashing violently through the wood.
After both wrestlers exchanged signature maneuvers, including RKOs and Cody Cutters, Rhodes blocked an RKO attempt and executed three consecutive Cross Rhodes slams, Sports Illustrated reported. Rhodes then paused the referee’s count before delivering Orton’s signature running punt kick to a bloody Orton, keeping the veteran down for the full 10-count.
Penta and Je’Von Evans Capture Tag Gold
The championship action continued in the second match of the night, as Penta and Je’Von Evans unseated Bron Breakker and Austin Theory of The Vision to capture the World Tag Team Championship.
The champions relied on frequent tags and outside interference to control the tempo. Maxxine Dupri repeatedly distracted the official, and Bronson Reed ran into the ring to lay out both challengers, Sports Illustrated reported. The Vision followed with a bulldog combination, but Penta managed to kick out just before the three-count.
The momentum swung permanently when Oba Femi intervened, attacking Reed on the aisle and throwing him off the entrance stage through tables, according to Forbes and Sports Illustrated. With the interference neutralized, Penta delivered a Mexican Destroyer to Theory, and Evans quickly followed with an OG Cutter to score the pinfall and secure the tag team titles.
Heavyweight Showdowns Remain
Crown Jewel featured two showcase singles matches to determine brand supremacy between Raw and SmackDown titleholders. On the women’s side, Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan was scheduled to face WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green for the women’s Crown Jewel Championship. On the men’s side, World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns was slated to battle Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn.
Questions linger regarding whether Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase holder Tiffany Stratton made the trip to Riyadh to threaten either champion, Sports Illustrated noted. Meanwhile, Reigns and Zayn prepared to settle long-running tensions inside the ring with the status of faction 946 remaining an unresolved factor.
