WWE Crown Jewel 2026 GRADED

It’s Crown Jewel time again, and WWE’s latest trip to Saudi Arabia has been one of the most controversial to date, due to ongoing unrest in the region.

But we’re here - after changing venues - so let’s see how it all pans out. A four match card on offer tonight, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, it feels a little on the short side? Regardless, what matters for the purposes of this article is the quality of the in-ring action, so let’s crack on.

This is WWE Crown Jewel 2026 GRADED.

CODY RHODES def. RANDY ORTON - LAST MAN STANDING MATCH

A very pro-Orton crowd from the off, with Orton cracking his shoulder off the turnbuckle post early on, and eating a Rhodes suicide dive for his troubles. Randy shook it off to hit three back suplexes on the announce table, and a fourth through the propped up table hood. The action spilled into the crowd and Orton crushed Cody with a bin, then spanged him with the lid as a treat.

Back ringside, and Orton teed off on Rhodes with a kendo stick, before Cody retrieved the stick and wailed on him himself, the Riyadh fans booing ‘The American Nightmare’ and pelting him with ‘Cody Sucks’ chants. The fight then spilled up the entrance ramp and onto the frankly massive stage area, Cody getting his own bin and lid and wailing on Orton before fetching a table, but Orton had him scouted and planted Rhodes through the wood with a powerbomb - Rhodes narrowly avoiding the 10-count to boos.

The fight returned to the ring, with Orton eating a draping DDT off the middle rope. Cody ascended the top rope but got crotched, and after some jostling for position on the top Randy landed a vintage Orton Family superplex. Strikes and a powerslam from Orton, and his own draping DDT as momentum built in his favour. Thumb to the eye from Rhodes and a powerslam of his own, then a Cody-Cutter, but Orton fought back to hit an RKO out of nowhere as Rhodes was going for the Bionic Elbow.

Orton went to crush Rhodes with the stairs but only found ringpost, Rhodes taking the stairs for himself and downing ‘The Viper’. Cody placed Orton on the announce table and retrieved a ladder, but his splash attempt got nothing but wood, Orton moving out of the way. Rhodes made it to his feet by referee Charles Robinson’s nine count, but both men were out on their feet, the crowd saluting their efforts with a ‘this is awesome’ chant. Back in ring, Orton lined Rhodes up for a punt and missed, then awkwardly ate a Super Cody Cutter. Crossrhoads on Orton gets the nine-count, with Rhodes sliding the ringsteps and a chair into the ring. Rhodes levelled Orton with the chair, then stood ceremonially over a downed Orton on the stairs but got cracked in the plums after taking too long to deliver a killing blow. A second Crossrhoads, and a third, and a fourth - and it looked like Orton caught the back of his head on the steps, blood spilling over the canvas.. Rhodes stopped Robinson from counting Orton out and finally punted Orton for the standing 10-count and the win.

A bloodied Orton lay in the ring, as the Riyadh crow booed Rhoes as he made his way up the ramp.

GRADE: D - Very slow to start off with, and it felt at times like both men were going through the motions. The ending stretch picked it up a little, and it was all about Rhodes hitting the punt, but they did nothing new here.

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PENTA & JE’VON EVANS def. THE VISION (c) - WWE WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

Evans and Theory exchange strikes to start, Evans hitting an Arabian press hurricanrana to send Theory to the floor, before he and Penta hit stereo dives to wipe out the champs. Quick tags by the faces, Evans hitting a gorgeous frog splash on Theory for two after a Penta backstabber out the corner. Maxine tripped Penta as Breakker launched Evans into the barricade, the champs taking back control of the bout. Diving crossbody by Penta on Breakker for two, who responded with a big punch for a two of his own. Multiple thrust kicks by Penta couldn’t take Bron down, Breakker launching Penta with a German suplex in reply. Penta and Breakker clash once more, Penta getting the hot tag on Evans who ran wild with a blockbuster on Bron, and a phenomenal forearm on Theory as the crowd came alive. Argentine rack into a spin-out powerbomb by Theory after avoiding a Red Dot Kick, and the numbers game caught up with Evans, Penta down on the floor after receiving a shellacking.

Evans avoided a Breakker spear and finally tagged Penta back in. Slingblade and a handspring mulekick on Breakker, and a running shooting star press by Evans - but it only got two as Theory came to the rescue. Flurry of kicks and strikes as all hell broke loose, Penta planting Theory with a springboard DDT, but again got two as Maxine Dupree placed Theory’s foot on the rope. Dupree distracted the ref as Bronson Reede ran in through the crowd to nail Penta with a Spiccoli Driver on the floor. Doomsday Bulldog by the champs, but it only got two. Lights out, and here comes Oba Femi to a huge ovation. Running forearm by Oba on Reede on the ramp, then he just shotput Reede off the stage through two tables before making his way to the ring. Penta diving crossbody took Breakker out on the floor, Mexican Destroyer to Theory, then an OG Cutter for three and we have new tag team champions.

GRADE: B - Night and day compared to the opener. These four flew out of the traps, and at times it was hard to keep up with some of the action - in the best way. The ending stretch was especially good; Oba looked like a beast, and it culminated with a deserved win for the new champs, good to see Evans getting the pin fall as well. Now Bron Breakker can hopefully cut free from The Vision and march into the main event.

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CHELSEA GREEN def. LIV MORGAN - CROWN JEWEL CHAMPIONSHIP

A pensive looking Chelsea dressed as Planet Earth for this one. Liv was very confident going in, and it showed in the opening exchanges, getting the best of Green with a cocky grin plastered on her face. Nice Japanese armdrag by green and a dropkick momentarily sent Liv to the floor, but Morgan flew back with punches, and a rope hung choke. Codebreaker by Liv for two, and Green is sent shoulderfirtst into the ringpost. Top rope single leg crab by Morgan as she asserted control of the bout, and a Three Amigos for good measure.

Liv went up top but took too much time showboating, getting crotched by Green and eating a superplex for her troubles. Enziguri and a rope hung Meteora by Green, but a flying hug was met with a Morgan lungblower for two. Green avoided a Codebreaker, but a Ruff Ryder attempt saw Morgan hit a powerbomb for another two. German suplex by Green and a Ruff Ryder for two, but Morgan fired back with a springboard Codebreaker and the single leg crab in the middle of the ring. Morgan flying hug gets nothing but a thrust kick from Green, but Chelsea is left clutching her leg. Pair of topes suicida by Green, and a missile dropkick back in-ring as momentum swung in Green’s favour. Unprettier, but Morgan got her foot on the rope to break the count.

Green went up top, but Roxanne Perez and Raqueele Rodrigues arrived to distract Chelsea, Morgan sending her spilling to the floor. Liv tells her JD cohort she has it and sent them to the back, and in-ring hit a Bret’s rope diving Codebreaker, but an Oblivion attempt was countered into a roll-up pin out of nowhere for three.

Paul ‘don’t make it about me’ Levesque arrived to hand Chelsea the prestigious Cown Jewel Championship, and I’m sure we will see that every week until Crown Jewel 2027…

TIFFANY STRATTON def. CHELSEA GREEN (c) - WWE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Chelsea took the mic and was greeted with ‘you deserve it chants’, Green noting she spent 13 years eating crap and being told she was a stepping stone and was constantly overlooked. Green proclaimed she was the greatest women’s cha-but Liv attacked her from behind out of nowhere. Tiffany Stratton arrived and crushed Liv with the MITB briefcase. But it was a swerve, as Stratton battered Chelsea with the briefcase, and hit the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to win the Women’s Title.

GRADE: C+ - A simple story, well told. Morgan went to the well a few too many times with the Codebreaker, but this was Chelsea’s night. The finish felt a little rushed, but it was the right result…but the fairytale wasn’t to last as Stratton took Green’s titles (she left with the Crown Jewel title too…) I’m putting my money on Green vs. Stratton at Mania.

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ROMAN REIGNS def SAMI ZAYN - CROWN JEWEL CHAMPIONSHIP

Heroes welcome for Sami, out in a Fred Perry track jacket presumably as a nod to PAC. Good lad. Lots of stalling to start, crowd loud with ‘Ole’ chants for Zayn. Lots of pie-facing by Reigns, but Zayn laughs it off, seemingly knowing how to get under the OTC’s skin. Usual slow theatrics and punches by Reigns, but Zayn throws him to the floor and throws Roman around the ringside area, and bounces his head off the announce table for good measure. Zayn took control with strikes and a Bret’s rope double axe handle, but his pin attempts could only get one counts, Reigns repeatedly kicking out. A second Bret’s rope double axe handle got nothing but a punch to the much, though. Punches and clotheslines by Reigns, wearing down his former Honorary Uce. More punches from Reigns, and a vertical suplex for two. Drive by dropkick gets another two, as Reigns asserted his dominance.

A cocky Reigns posted Sami up top for a superplex, but took too long, Zayn hitting a sunset flip powerbomb for a nearfall. Uranage by Reigns to a chorus of boos, but the crowd came alive when Sami avoided the Superman punch to hit the Blue Thunder Bomb for two (has he ever got the win with that move?) Reigns took a powder to avoid the Helluva kick, but Sami had him scouted with the tope con hijlo. Back in-ring, Superman punch for a nearfall after Reigns avoided a top rope attack from Sami, then a yay/boo strike exchange in the centre of the ring.

Helluva kick missed, Reigns hitting another Superman punch, but took too long setting up a spear and ate the Helluva kick for another nearfall. Sami went for his own Superman punch but Roman ducked, then Roman went for one of his own and ended up clocking referee Chad Patton. Exploder suplex into the corner by Sami and another Helluva kick - but only for two, as Charles Robinson ran in to count the attempt. An angered Sami then hit a Helluva kick on Wham superfan Charles Robinson out of frustration. Sami grabbed the WWE Title but ate a Superman punch and a spear before he could use it, Reigns only getting a two-count as Chad Patton woke up. Roman trashtalked Sami before the two exchanged bombs in the ring once more, a punchdrunk Sami getting trounced by the OTC. Another Superman punch connects, but a Reigns went for it again and got exploder suplexed into the corner. Superman punch by Reigns, then one by Zayn, and a spear by Roman - L1 getting spammed to death here. Another spear by Reigns, and that seals it.

Triple H arrived to present Roman with the belt, but Sami stopped him, extending his hand to Roman but receiving no reply. Zayn chewed Roman out and got a hug from the OTC as a sign of respect.

Roman posed with the title and took the mic, demanded to be acknowledged, then buggered off.

GRADE: C - Typical Roman Reigns match, if you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. Zayn was made to look good in this though, keeping up with Roman, and even exchanging finishers with him. Roman did not need this win though, and I was expecting a 946 run-in here, so I guess this means The Bloodline will lose War Games?

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OVERALL GRADE: C - Easily skippable event like most Crown Jewels to be fair, but the Tag Title match was definitely worth watching. Nothing bad here - the opening match was a bit dull - but nothing vital. Four matches seemed ridiculously low, but coming in at under three hours? Lovely stuff.