Bloodline 6-Man Tag: The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Jacob Fatu) defeated Roman Reigns and The Usos. After the match, there was further development with Sami Zayn’s involvement and tension between Roman Reigns and his family members.
Men’s Crown Jewel Championship: Cody Rhodes defeated Gunther to become the inaugural Men’s Crown Jewel Champion.
Women’s Crown Jewel Championship: Liv Morgan defeated Nia Jax to become the first Women’s Crown Jewel Champion.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill retained their titles in a Fatal 4-Way match against Damage CTRL (IYO SKY & Kairi Sane), The Meta-Four (Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson), and Chelsea Green & Piper Niven.
United States Championship: LA Knight retained his title against Carmelo Hayes and Andrade.
Unsanctioned Match: Seth Rollins defeated Bronson Reed in a high-impact match with multiple Stomps.
Unfinished Business: Randy Orton and Kevin Owens had a pre-match brawl which led to no official match taking place, but they still engaged in a physical confrontation.
Former WWE stars Amanda Saccomanno, best known to wrestling fans as Mandy Rose, and Sabatino “Sabby” Piscitelli tied the knot in a romantic ceremony on November 2, 2024. The event took place at the picturesque Park Chateau Estate & Gardens in New Jersey. The wedding brought together over 200 guests, including an array of notable athletes and WWE wrestlers.
Saccomanno and Piscitelli’s theme for the day was inspired by the grandeur of a “French chateau” and a highlight of the reception was the heartfelt memorial in honor of Saccomanno’s late brother. Additionally, during the father-daughter dance, guests were surprised by a moving video tribute. The wedding details were first reported by People, who also have exclusive photos of the celebration.
Following their wedding, the newlyweds plan to honeymoon in the Maldives. The couple has also shared their excitement about starting a family in the near future.
Former WWE Wrestlers Amanda Saccomanno and Sabby Piscitelli Marry in 'French Chateau' Wedding: 'Worth the Wait' (Exclusive) https://t.co/HjVLhJpGSN
Amanda Saccomanno began her wrestling career in 2015 after her appearance on Tough Enough. During her time in WWE, she achieved notable success, including a 413-day reign as NXT Women’s Champion, and developed a very loyal fanbase. She was released from WWE in December 2022 due to her FanTime content, which was deemed outside contract guidelines.
Despite the abrupt end to her wrestling career, Saccomanno turned her focus to other creative and business outlets, as well as her FanTime page, reportedly generating significant income. She remains open to the possibility of returning to wrestling.
The finish of the match saw Rhodes attempt a Super Cody Cutter, only for GUNTHER to catch him in attempted Sleeper hold. Rhodes however, was able to counter with a roll-up to get the historic win.
WWE Crown Jewel is taking place from the Mohammad Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The card for the show is as follows:
Cody Rhodes Vs. GUNTHER (WWE Crown Jewel Championship)
Nia Jax Vs. Liv Morgan (WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Bronson Reed
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens
LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes (WWE U.S. Championship)
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Damage CTRL (Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky) vs. Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson) vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship)
Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga) (with Tonga Loa)
LA Knight was able to defy the odds to retain his WWE United States Championship at WWE Crown Jewel 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Knight was forced to defend the title against both Andrade and Carmelo Hayes after attacking both men during a recent edition of SmackDown. With the triple-threat stipulation meaning Knight didn’t have to be involved in the decision to lose the title, the Megastar tried to remain involved as much as possible. The finish of the match saw Hayes hit his facebuster on Andrade, only to eat a BFT from Knight.
WWE Crown Jewel is taking place from the Mohammad Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The card for the show is as follows:
Cody Rhodes Vs. GUNTHER (WWE Crown Jewel Championship)
Nia Jax Vs. Liv Morgan (WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Bronson Reed
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens
LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes (WWE U.S. Championship)
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Damage CTRL (Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky) vs. Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson) vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship)
Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga) (with Tonga Loa)
Kevin Owens and Randy Orton held nothing back in the latest chapter of their deeply personal rivalry that unfolded at WWE Crown Jewel 2024.
During Orton’s entrance, Owens attacked his former ally with a steel chair and the pair would brawl in and out of the ring. Owens would deliver a stunner to the referee while Adam Pearce would eat an RKO from the Viper. The violence would continue into the crowd and the match was ultimately called off.
WWE Crown Jewel is taking place from the Mohammad Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The card for the show is as follows:
Cody Rhodes Vs. GUNTHER (WWE Crown Jewel Championship)
Nia Jax Vs. Liv Morgan (WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Bronson Reed
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens
LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes (WWE U.S. Championship)
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Damage CTRL (Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky) vs. Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson) vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship)
Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga) (with Tonga Loa)
WWE Crown Jewel is taking place from the Mohammad Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The card for the show is as follows:
Cody Rhodes Vs. GUNTHER (WWE Crown Jewel Championship)
Nia Jax Vs. Liv Morgan (WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Bronson Reed
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens
LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes (WWE U.S. Championship)
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Damage CTRL (Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky) vs. Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson) vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship)
Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga) (with Tonga Loa)
The pair didn’t wait for the bell to ring to start brawling as they began fighting during Reed’s entrance. Once the match officially began, Reed hit a Tsunami but Rollins hit a stomp of his own shortly after. The finish of the match saw Rollins hit a series of stomps onto Reed (one of which was on the steel steps) which left the Australian bleeding above his eye.
Even after taking three stomps, Reed was quickly back on his feet after the match and made clear his issues with the Visionary are far from over.
WWE Crown Jewel is taking place from the Mohammad Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The card for the show is as follows:
Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga) (with Tonga Loa)
Cody Rhodes Vs. GUNTHER (WWE Crown Jewel Championship)
Nia Jax Vs. Liv Morgan (WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Bronson Reed
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens
LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes (WWE U.S. Championship)
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Damage CTRL (Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky) vs. Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson) vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship)
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair were able to overcome the odds at WWE Crown Jewel 2024 to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships in Riyadh.
In the second match of the night, Cargill and Belair retained against Meta Four’s Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend, Damage CTRL’s IYO SKY & Kairi Sane, and Chelsea Green & Piper Niven. The finish of the match saw Belair get the win for her team after she and Cargill hit a colossal Doomsday Device on Piper Niven.
WWE Crown Jewel is taking place from the Mohammad Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The card for the show is as follows:
Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga) (with Tonga Loa)
Cody Rhodes Vs. GUNTHER (WWE Crown Jewel Championship)
Nia Jax Vs. Liv Morgan (WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Bronson Reed
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens
LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes (WWE U.S. Championship)
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Damage CTRL (Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky) vs. Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson) vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship)
At WWE Crown Jewel, The Bloodline defeated Roman Reigns & The Usos, with Solo Sikoa getting the pinfall over the OTC. The new Tribal Chief delivered Reigns only his second pinfall in 16 months after a series of Samoan Spikes, but what happened after the match
After the victory, Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Jacob Fatu, and Tonga Loa, continued their assault on Reigns and The Usos. This beatdown was interrupted by Sami Zayn, who teased joining Solo after the pair were seen talking during this week’s Raw. Instead, Sami attacked Solo and aided Reigns and The Usos in fighting off The Bloodline. When Sami attempted to hit a Helluva Kick on Solo though, he collided with Reigns, while Sikoa was able to escape.
With Sami aligning with Reigns and The Usos against The Bloodline, the stage is set for a WarGames showdown at Survivor Series. Fans can expect an exciting four-on-four match inside the barbaric double structure as both sides aim to confirm their dominance in this Bloodline Civil War.
Reigns, Zayn, The Usos, and Sikoa have all competed in WarGames before, with each man remaining undefeated inside the structure. WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 will take place on November 30, from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest in the Bloodline saga, as the journey will take these eight men to Survivor Series and to WarGames.
On the November 4, edition of Monday Night Raw, a fatal four-way will determine GUNTHER’s next challenger for the World Heavyweight Championship, WrestleVotes reports. The match will see Damian Priest, ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio, Seth Rollins, and either Sheamus or a returning Braun Strowman face off for a shot at the Ring General.
These potential challengers are interesting, given that Mysterio earned a World Heavyweight Championship win on this week’s Raw with a dirty win over Priest. Priest lost the title to GUNTHER at SummerSlam while Rollins’ 316-day reign ended at WrestleMania 40 back in April. Strowman suffered a torn groin during the Last Monster Standing match in September that has kept the former Universal Champion out of action ever since.
Where Is CM Punk?
One name fans are eager to see in the World Heavyweight Title picture is CM Punk, who’s been absent since the post-Bad Blood edition of Raw. While Punk has spoken about wanting the become a champion again, he isn’t expected to appear on the upcoming Raw. For the first time ever, WWE Raw will air from Saudi Arabia this coming Monday and Punk has been highly critical of WWE’s relationship with Saudi Arabia in the past.
Without Punk, it’ll be either Rollins, Priest, Mysterio, Sheamus, or Strowman who earn a golden opportunity on Raw, with a title match being a possibility for WWE Survivor Series on November 30. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on the World Heavyweight Championship picture as GUNTHER remains a very busy man.
Whether in WCW or in WWE, Bill Goldberg has been a force to be reckoned with in the ring, resulting in World Championship reigns over four decades. In recent years, Goldberg has been outspoken about wanting one final match before ending his in-ring career, and that match will come in 2025.
Given what transpired at Bad Blood, GUNTHER certainly makes sense as the opponent-of-choice for Goldberg. If not the reigning World Heavyweight Champion, WWE could build a compelling feu of spear vs. spear between Goldberg and Bron Breakker. The reigning Intercontinental Champion is part of the Steiner family, who are no strangers to Goldberg from his days back in WCW.
2025 is shaping up to be a huge year for WWE, as John Cena will also end his in-ring career over the next 12 months. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest from WWE on the farewells of Goldberg and Cena that will take place next year.
The reunion of Roman Reigns and The Usos proved to be in vain at WWE Crown Jewel as the trio fell victim to The Bloodline in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
At WWE’s latest event in Saudi Arabia, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Jacob Fatu defeated Reigns, Jimmy, and Jey Uso with Sikoa getting the pinfall over the OTC. Reigns and The Usos formally reunited on this week’s SmackDown, albeit with Jey Uso making clear he hasn’t forgotten at the past.
After the match, Solo’s Bloodline continued their assault on Reigns and The Usos. This was interrupted by Sami Zayn, who teased aligning with Solo before attacking the new Tribal Chief. Reigns and The Usos recovered to fight back against the new Bloodline. When Sami went for a kick though, he accidentally clocked Reigns while Solo was able to escape.
WWE Crown Jewel is taking place from the Mohammad Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The card for the show is as follows:
Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga) (with Tonga Loa)
Cody Rhodes Vs. GUNTHER (WWE Crown Jewel Championship)
Nia Jax Vs. Liv Morgan (WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Bronson Reed
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens
LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes (WWE U.S. Championship)
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Damage CTRL (Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky) vs. Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson) vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship)
Gunther is gearing up for his big match against Cody Rhodes at WWE Crown Jewel, but the reigning World Heavyweight champion hasn’t forgotten about Bill Goldberg.
Goldberg was among the pro wrestling legends on hand for last month’s Bad Blood PLE from Atlanta, and brought his wife and son to the show. The 57-year-old legend wound up jumping the barricade and having an intense face-off with Gunther.
It looked like WWE was planting the seeds for potential match between them, and now Gunther is talking about the situation. During an interview with with La Previa (WWE Español), the Austrian Superstar said it was nice meeting all the legends in attendance that night, but felt compelled to playfully antagonize Goldberg when he first spotted him.
“I was invited out there to speak about the Crown Jewel Championship. We had a lot of legends in the house and I met a lot of them backstage. One of the very few I didn’t meet that I just saw was there before was Goldberg, so when our eyes crossed, basically I was like, why not break some balls a little bit?
He doesn’t seem to be able to take things lightly. I tried to lighten up the mood a little bit, but push comes to shove, and he thinks he wants to get back into the business and wrestle again, then I’m happy to teach him a lesson.”
– Gunther
What Goldberg said about Gunther
Goldberg recently gave his side of the story last week on the CarCast podcast. He was in Atlanta to film a TV show when WWE invited him to attend Bad Blood. He appreciated the gesture, especially in light of their rocky relationship over the years.
“I should have known,” he said. “I should have known somebody was going to try and mess with me. In Atlanta, no less. We were having a great time. Gunther, I don’t want to make anything more of it than it was, but.. You know me, I’m not going to sit there and let some dude talk shit. Period. End of story.
What started out to be an innocent attendance of a pay-per-view turned out to being insulted by one of their current champions. I don’t care where we were, I would have done the same thing anywhere.
I ain’t dead yet. As long as I’m breathing, don’t ever talk shit about me, especially my family. When he brought Gage into it and me being a dad, that was it. It was nothing more than that.”
Goldberg has frequently expressed his desire for a retirement match and has criticized Vince McMahon for allegedly promising one without following through. Numerous current wrestlers and legends have noted the significant changes in WWE since Triple H took over from McMahon. The incident at Bad Blood, along with the ongoing comments from both men, suggests that Goldberg might still have one more match left in him.
Wrestling fans will want to tune in as soon as WWE Crown Jewel begins, because one of the most highly-anticipated bouts will open the show.
Crown Jewel 2024 Match Order
Roman Reigns and The Uso’s v The Bloodline
Women’s 4-Way Tag Title Match
Seth Rollins v Bronson Reed
Nia Jax v Liv Morgan for the Women’s Crown Jewel Championship
Randy Orton v Kevin Owens
US Champion LA Knight v Carmelo Hayes v Andrade
Main Event: Gunther v Cody Rhodes for the Men’s Crown Jewel Championship
How to Watch
WWE Crown Jewel has a special start time of 1pm (Eastern), due to the event taking place from Saudi Arabia. The event streams live on Peacock in the United states and on the WWE Network internationally.
Immediately after the show ends, WWE will present the Crown Jewel post-show press conference. You can watch live on Peacock, as well as online (YouTube, Facebook, X).
As Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes is kept busy every week, both in the ring and in various media appearances for the company. Rhodes is a regular at WWE Premium Live Events and has been since his return from injury in January 2023, but now the American Nightmare could be set to miss one of WWE’s biggest annual events.
On X, Rhodes shared his schedule for November which will see him appear on TV and also take part in WWE’s upcoming tour of the United Kingdom. While Rhodes will be busy, the Undisputed WWE Champion isn’t listed to appear at Survivor Series on November 30.
Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 will take place at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Rhodes was a part of last year’s event, where he led his team to victory against The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre. Rhodes missed the previous year’s event due to his torn pectoral injury.
In the meantime, Rhodes will be a part of WWE Crown Jewel later today where he will take on World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER. The winner will not only receive the Men’s Crown Jewel Championship but also a Super Bowl-esque championship ring. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest from Cody Rhodes and his future appearances for WWE later this month.
This week, WWE cut Baron Corbin, Indi Hartwell, and Tegan Nox, in the latest round of releases by the Sports Entertainment juggernaut. While Corbin has been informed that his contract will not be renewed when it expires, Nox and Hartwell have already been cut and are awaiting entering free agency next year.
On social media, several wrestlers shared their support for those cut by WWE. Former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Tyrus had an interesting offer for Baron Corbin.
@BaronCorbinWWE yo hit me up… got some other doors to show you !
It’s never easy to lose a job, and now these three wrestlers will now have to forge their paths outside WWE. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Indi Hartwell, Nixon Newell, and Baron Corbin and their future outside of WWE.
At WWE Crown Jewel, Nia Jax and Liv Morgan will do battle to determine the first-ever WWE Crown Jewel Women’s Champion, with the winner also set to receive a ring. With both the Women’s Champion and Women’s World Champion in Riyadh, this will be an epic confrontation, but could see one of these women lose their title.
The November 1, episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown kicked off with Liv Morgan and Nia Jax in the ring ahead of their match at Crown Jewel. During the segment, Stratton vowed to cash in her Money in the Bank contract at the event and walk away as a champion. Stratton also questioned if cashing in on Morgan means she’d also get ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio as part of the deal.
Stratton initially said she’d cash in on Liv Morgan but then teased cashing in on Jax despite her on-screen partnership. The segment quickly resulted in a brawl with a match set for Morgan and Stratton. The Women’s World Champion got the win but was laid out by Jax with the AnNiahilator after the match.
Stratton has attempted to cash in multiple times, including at WWE Bad Blood last month, but her attempts have been thwarted before they could be made official. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest from Crown Jewel, including breaking news and live results, and to see whether Stratton makes good on her promise to cash in at today’s Premium Live Event.
Their exits were first reported by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select. Nox, now going by her pre-WWE name of Nixon Newell, confirmed her own exit from WWE.
Some things are just out of your control and you can only do as much as you can. Let’s clear one thing up though. I’m ready. Ive been ready. Just have to show people what they’ve missed.
Nox joined WWE in 2017 but was pulled fom that year’s Mae Young Classic due to an ACL injuries. Injuries would continue to plague Nox throughout her career and she was ultimately released from WWE in November 2021. Prior to her release, she had been drafted to Raw, but never appeared on the red brand before being cut.
Nox returned in 2022 as part of Paul Levesque’s wave of talent rehiring that also saw the return of the likes of Braun Strowman, Bronson Reed, and others. Returning on SmackDown, Nox quickly found herself in a similar position to her first run in WWE, as she was rarely used on the blue brand. Her final match on TV came on the April 1, 2024, Raw where she lost in a six-woman tag. Her final win on TV was in tag-team action back in November of last year.
Marko Stunt announced his retirement from professional wrestling, expressing deep gratitude to his fans, All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), and his peers in the wrestling community for their unwavering support and the opportunities they provided throughout his career. He explained that this decision was made after consulting with doctors and prioritizing his long-term health, acknowledging it as one of the most challenging choices of his life. Wrestling brought Marko immense passion and joy. Stepping away is a difficult but necessary move.
Reflecting on his career, Marko Stunt shared heartfelt thanks to AEW for giving him the chance to showcase his talents on national television, fulfilling a lifelong dream. He expressed appreciation to the production team, his fellow wrestlers, and everyone who made AEW feel like home.
He also highlighted the pivotal role GCW and Brett Lauderdale played in launching his career, teaching him to embrace his uniqueness and grow into the person and performer he became. Marko’s message extended to all the wrestlers he shared the ring with, acknowledging their roles in shaping his journey and pushing him to his limits.
Marko Stunt reserved special thanks for his fans, who supported and believed in him through every match and show. He noted that their energy, chants, and unwavering support fueled his spirit more than they could ever know.
As he steps away from in-ring competition, Marko takes with him lifelong memories and friendships, and he looks forward to contributing to wrestling in other ways, while remaining connected with the community that turned his dream into reality.
“Thank you for everything.”
Former best friend & Jurassic Express team mate MARKO STUNT has answered the challenge!
Indi Hartwell is departing, as reported by Fightful Select. She signed in 2019 and rose to prominence as an NXT Women’s Champion before transitioning to the main roster in 2023.
Her release comes amid a series of recent roster cuts, including Tegan Nox and Baron Corbin. She reacted on social media, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened
Hartwell will be a free agent after a 90-day non-compete clause expires.
Her final WWE match, taped last week, aired Friday night on SmackDown hours after her release. She and Candice LeRae wrestled against Bayley and Naomi.
Baron Corbin is leaving WWE after 12 years. The former United States champion and King of the Ring winner was among Friday releases first reported by Fightful.
Corbin confirmed the news on social media and expressed his gratitude for the support he’s received throughout his career. “That’s all she wrote folks. It’s been real and I appreciate everyone who supported me.”
Throughout the annals of wrestling history, only a select few have risen to be the very top stars of their respective eras. Before the likes of Cena, Austin, Hogan, Flair, or even Sammartino, there was George Hackenschmidt, who today is best known for being recognized as the first wrestling world champion. This week, a video surfaced online of Hackenschmidt in action from over a century ago during a 1908 match from London, England.
— History of Pro Wrestling from Around The World (@WrestlinOTD) November 1, 2024
Born in August 1877 in what is today known as Tartu, Estonia, Hackenschmidt entered the wrestling industry at the age of 12. It was in May 1905 that Hackneschmidt was officially recognized as the World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion after a victory in New York City over Tom Jenkins. Hackenshmidt held the title for just shy of three years before losing the gold in April 1908 to longtime rival Frank Gotch.
The video above may be the most complete footage of Hackenschmidt in the ring that’s been publicly shared and serves as a window into a much different form of professional wrestling. While the industry may be a lot more theatrical than what Hackenschmidt experienced in his heyday, it was his fundamentals and popularity that would play a role in making the wrestling business the entertainment juggernaut it is today, over a century after this match.
This Saturday at WWE Crown Jewel, he first-ever Men’s and Women’s Crown Jewel Champions will be decided at the event in Riyadh. Cody Rhodes, GUNTHER, Nia Jax, and Liv Morgan have the opportunity to etch their name in the history books, but the four Superstars will be competing for much more than the titles introduced at Bad Blood.
Appearing at the WWE Crown Jewel kick-off show, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque shared that in addition to a title, the winners will also receive a championship ring. Like other sports, winners will have the opportunity to accumulate championship rings over several years of competing at WWE Crown Jewel.
“The champions, whoever that is will walk way with a massive ring, like a Superbowl ring that shows they are the true champion of WWE. And as this is an annual event so we’ll see how many rings can collect over the years.”
Here’s the final card the Saturday’s event from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia:
Cody Rhodes Vs. GUNTHER (Men’s Crown Jewel Championship)
Liv Morgan Vs. Nia Jax (Women’s Crown Jewel Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Bronson Reed
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens
LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes (U.S. Championship)
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Damage CTRL (Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky) vs. Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson) vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven (Women’s Tag Team Championship)
Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga) (with Tonga Loa)
WWE may bring NXT to Saudi Arabia in the near future. On Friday, WWE held the Crown Jewel Kickoff show. The event was hosted by Michael Cole and Triple H, and featured appearances from Cody Rhodes, Gunther, Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, The Usos, Randy Orton and more.
Triple H revealed that the winners of the Crown Jewel Championship matches will receive Crown Jewel Championship rings, in addition to the men’s and women’s Crown Jewel Championship belts.
Fans in attendance chanted WrestleMania, to which Triple H replied, “Yes, WrestleMania – it’s in Las Vegas, Nevada.”
The crowd in Saudi Arabia was chanting for WrestleMania.
Triple H responds with by saying: “Yes, WrestleMania, it is in Las Vegas, Nevada.”
Chants then broke out for NXT and received a more-favorable reaction. Triple H then teased bringing the developmental brand to Saudi Arabia, and said he’ll speak with Shawn Michaels about making that happen.
“Who wants to NXT here in Saudi Arabia? I’ll talk to Shawn and see what we can do.”
An NXT event in Saudi Arabia would be historic, and there doesn’t appear to be any significant hurdles preventing it. In fact, this weekend will be a good test to see if it’s feasible.
The day after Crown Jewel, WWE tapes this week’s Monday Night Raw before everyone heads back to the United States on Monday. The first-ever WWE Raw from Saudi Arabia will be a chance for WWE to iron out the logistics of running back-to-back events from Saudi Arabia, and could pave the way for a hypothetical ‘NXT Takeover: Jedda’ PLE.
While Montez Ford is grateful to be a WWE star, he has openly expressed frustration with the ups and downs of his 2024 run. From his pairing with Bobby Lashley to losses alongside Angelo Dawkins as part of the Street Profits, this year has presented its share of challenges for Ford.
In a recent interview with Mail Sport’s Lewis Browning, Ford shared his honest thoughts on his current WWE journey. “To say that everything is good would be a lie,” Ford admitted.
“There’s always pleasure in doing what you love, what you admire, what you’ve dreamt of, and what you have passion for,” he said. “But it does get frustrating when you’re trying to accomplish something, and it feels like it’s either taking too long, or nothing’s happening.”
Ford pointed out that it’s been four years since the Street Profits last held the Tag Team Championship. While he loves being part of WWE, he finds the booking decisions increasingly frustrating.
“I’m not going to lie and say I don’t see the comments and reactions,” Ford shared. “I watch everything. We’re not in conversations about top tag teams, or anything wrestling-related beyond getting handled by The Bloodline, and that doesn’t sit well with me. So, while I’m living my dream, it’s as frustrating as it is rewarding.”
Ford also noted the personal challenges of the past year, including the loss of his grandfather and Dawkins’s loss of his mother. Despite these setbacks, Ford remains focused on becoming a champion in WWE once again.
