WWE Crown Jewel 2021 Flops and Hits: Edge vs Seth Rollins unleashes “hell”, Roman Reigns’ controversial win over Brock Lesnar in main event (21st October, 2021)

WWE Crown Jewel 2021 delivered a solid pay-per-view. There were a few drawbacks in the entire show that was otherwise brilliant in all aspects. Between a potential Match of the Year encounter and a controversial finish, many things transpired at the recently-concluded pay-per-view.

While none of the titles changed hands, there were a handful of jaw-dropping moments. Not to forget, the crowd was enthusiastic throughout the WWE pay-per-view and did not shy away from letting their voices be heard.

Here, we look at some of the biggest hits and flops from WWE Crown Jewel 2021. So, without further ado, let's begin.

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#1 Hit at WWE Crown Jewel: Edge and Seth Rollins deliver unforgettable Hell in a Cell match

The opening match of WWE Crown Jewel 2021 witnessed yet another epic clash between Seth Rollins and Edge inside the hellacious structure. Both superstars met in a Hell in a Cell match for the third battle of their ongoing feud. It would be safe to say that they delivered one of the best pro-wrestling matches this year.

The storyline has been perfect and deserves a memorable end. We have seen Rollins talk about his infamous HIAC match against The Fiend and labeling it as the reason behind the change in his gimmick, the comparison between his and Edge's career, and the Rated-R Superstars' fairy-tale return to the ring. Moreover, they made the feud as personal as it could get ahead of WWE Crown Jewel and topped it off with one of the most brutal in-ring bouts that we have seen in a while.

The crowd was invested in the match right from the beginning. The arena erupted with "This is Awesome" chants thirty seconds into the match, and fans kept it up for as long as Edge and Rollins were inside the ring. In all fairness, both superstars deserved that reception for their performances at WWE Crown Jewel, respectively.

After ridiculously hard-hitting blows and kicks, Rollins and Edge resorted to using everything in the vicinity as their weapons. Chairs, tables, ladders, steel steps, and tool bag – everything was used ideally to complement the story-telling at WWE Crown Jewel. One of the match's spots saw Rollins crashing into the steps after Edge-o-Matic, and The Architect's sell made it look like he was legitimately hurt.

Rollins came close to beating Edge when he wrapped his foot in a steel chain and kicked his opponent right in the face. He was about to deliver The Stomp but Edge him with a low blow and then used the same chain to apply the Glasgow Grin. He repeated the act with a steel wrench to turn the match in his favor. Edge then placed Rollins' head on a steel chair and used The Stomp to seal his victory at WWE Crown Jewel.

Everything about this match, and their feud in general, was nothing short of flawless. Their bout set the tone for the rest of the pay-per-view, ending their rivalry on an unbelievably high note. It was the best possible way to end the storyline, and we hope that the creative team will not continue this storyline on RAW after Crown Jewel. Both Edge and Rollins now deserve to use this momentum to explore other opportunities on the red brand.

#2 Flop at WWE Crown Jewel: Brock Lesnar’s controversial defeat against Roman Reigns

WWE Crown Jewel’s main event was fantastic until its last few seconds. It is important to acknowledge the good parts of this match before we dive into the criticism. The final match of the night witnessed the much-awaited Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. Both superstars were brilliant at playing their respective characters inside the ring and went toe-to-toe throughout their battle.

Lesnar subjected Reigns to multiple Suplexes and F5s in the match while the latter hit back with quite a few Superman punches and Spears. The Beast Incarnate sold the moves brilliantly, making Reigns look highly credible in his title defense at WWE Crown Jewel. Lesnar accidentally knocked out the referee at one point, and as a result, there was no one to count for the pinfall.

The crowd counted until ten, but it was of no use. This prompted Paul Heyman to throw the Universal Title inside the ring, and it all came down to who could use it as a weapon. Lesnar snatched the championship from Reigns but was knocked out with simultaneous superkicks from The Usos. Reigns then hit the challenger with the belt and pinned him to retain his gold at WWE Crown Jewel.

Now, here’s the problem. Reigns was close to picking up a credible victory, but the interference once again made him look weak. Over the last few weeks, Lesnar has taken out The Usos with ease, but he couldn’t do that at WWE Crown Jewel -- the most important night of this storyline. Some might argue that he was dealing with the aftermath of multiple blows in the match, but so was Reigns. And no one can deny that the Suplexes and F5s are more devastating than Superman punches that barely connect.

The interference could be used to protect Lesnar and to draw more heat towards Roman Reigns. But if that was the case, it should have gone on for a bit longer, and a low blow might have accounted for a more believable case. No one expected Lesnar to dethrone Reigns as the Universal Champion at WWE Crown Jewel, but the finish was a little too predictable.

Although it can be argued that that booking stayed true to Reigns’ heel gimmick, it can also be debated that these finishes will slowly start to make his character look stagnant. If he uses illegal methods to triumph, the writers should add more creativity to the overall booking. The good thing is that we know this story won’t end at WWE Crown Jewel.

Brock Lesnar will eventually return for a match against Roman Reigns, as was evident from his expression after the loss. Moreover, Paul Heyman’s decision to throw the title inside the ring and prompt either to use it as a weapon can also account for an interesting turn in this feud. For now, Reigns will look to enjoy his big win at WWE Crown Jewel because it was still a good match despite the controversial finish.

#3 Hit at WWE Crown Jewel: Xavier Woods unlocks childhood dream

Almost two decades before today’s WWE Crown Jewel pay-per-view, a teenager saw the King of the Ring tournament, which motivated him to become a pro-wrestler. He became part of one of the most decorated stables in WWE history but always yearned to wear the prestigious crown. Fast forward to October 2021, he achieved his life-long dream and engraved the name “Xavier Woods” with a spot of golden ink in KOTR’s envious history.

Woods took on Finn Balor in a highly entertaining match. Both superstars took turns dominating the match at WWE Crown Jewel 2021. They looked equally as good in the bout that heavily featured impressive high-flying maneuvers. Balor posed a huge threat to Woods’ dominance, but the latter eventually prevailed inside the ring.

Despite a commendable effort, Balor could not fight his way out of a devastating flying elbow that eventually allowed Woods to pick up a credible victory and win the King of the Ring tournament. Following the match, Woods walked to his throne and put the crown on his head to celebrate accomplishing his childhood dream at WWE Crown Jewel.

Finn Balor deserves equal credit for putting up a brilliant performance as well. He did well in partially redeeming himself after the disastrous result of his match against Roman Reigns last month. He also had a good reason to go after John Cena but that never happened. Balor will now move to RAW after the Crown Jewel pay-per-view. We have discussed his loss and a potential run on the red brand later in the article.

#4 Flop at WWE Crown Jewel: Chaos in the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship match

The second women’s match at WWE Crown Jewel saw Becky Lynch successfully defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair. The Man took on two former title-holders in an interesting bout that was very promising on paper. The build-up to their final meeting was also highly entertaining, but the match lacked a certain flow.

All three superstars, especially Bianca Belair, were great inside the ring, however, they were quite clumsy when they came together. The attacks, the reversals, and uncertainty in a few spots were evident. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to conclude that the chaos in the triple-threat match got the better of all three superstars at WWE Crown Jewel 2021.

It was also surprising to see Becky Lynch retain the title, but this may not be a completely wrong decision. Unless the creative team is planning to have Lynch and Charlotte Flair swap their RAW and SmackDown Women’s Championships, there could be an interesting angle awaiting us after WWE Crown Jewel. They can either compete in a winner-takes-all match at Survivor Series or continue making appearances on both the shows for the foreseeable future.

Fortunately, for the first time in a long while, the direction for two big titles is full of suspense after a big pay-per-view. Hopefully, we will come across exciting twists involving both the champions after today’s show.

#5 Hit at WWE Crown Jewel: Drew McIntyre proves why he belongs in the world title picture

At WWE Crown Jewel, Drew McIntyre had the final opportunity to get his hands on the WWE Championship when he challenged Big E for the title. The Scottish Warrior pushed the champion to his limits, posing a huge threat inside the ring. He is unbelievably agile for his size and looks just as strong as Big E, who was a powerlifter at one point in his life.

McIntyre got back on his feet after the first Big Ending that speaks volumes about his in-ring perseverance. He was creative in his offense and took E by surprise and it all accounted for a good match despite the predictable result at WWE Crown Jewel. In the end, Big E retained his title after pinning McIntyre with the help of a second Big Ending.

While this was a match as good as expected between the two top babyfaces, it will raise serious doubts over Drew McIntyre’s proposed feud with Roman Reigns. He is set to move to SmackDown after WWE Crown Jewel and has already declared his intention to challenge the Tribal Chief for the Universal Championship. If he couldn’t beat Big E, how will he sustain himself against Reigns, who is bound to use illegal methods to secure his victory?

It is essential that the creative team allow him to gain momentum on the blue brand by booking him in big matches before he goes after Reigns once again. He is one of the few superstars who appears to be a legitimate threat. We hope that his loss at WWE Crown Jewel will only motivate him to unleash a more brutal side of his on-screen persona.

#6 Flop at WWE Crown Jewel: Former world champions lose in big matches, yet again

WWE Crown Jewel 2021 witnessed two former world champions suffer big defeats once again. First, Finn Balor, whom we have praised earlier in this slide for a tremendous in-ring performance against Xavier Woods in the King of the Ring Tournament. However, that doesn’t change the fact that he still lost in yet another colossal match.

After a celebrated run in NXT, his return to the main roster led many to believe that he would no longer stay on the sidelines. However, Balor has lost on two big occasions since then. His defeat at the hands of Roman Reigns and quite literally the top rope should have fueled his heel turn. If not, the loss against Xavier Woods at WWE Crown Jewel must now do the job.

The second superstar to have lost another big match is AJ Styles. He teamed up with Omos to take on RK-Bro for the RAW Tag Team Championships and lost again. While we did not expect Randy Orton and Riddle to lose their gold at WWE Crown Jewel, this was the right opportunity to split the Phenomenal One with his towering prodigy.

As harsh as it may sound, Styles has done more than enough to put Omos on the map. Now, it seems like he is being held back with this alliance. Wouldn’t it be better if he allied with Finn Balor instead? Both superstars share a long history and can deliver an exciting storyline of friendship and betrayal in the coming months. These are the two superstars who deserve to be part of bigger storylines in WWE.

If not, they can’t be blamed for eventually moving on to AEW – a loss that will prove to be a major blow for their current promotion. Hopefully, we will see things take an exciting turn for both Finn Balor and AJ Styles after WWE Crown Jewel.

#7 Hit/Flop at WWE Crown Jewel: Goldberg exceeds expectations, potential threat to Bobby Lashley’s credibility?

Goldberg returned to action at WWE Crown Jewel for a match against Bobby Lashley in a bid to avenge the attack on his son. The WCW legend started limping one minute into the match that allowed the All-Mighty to dominate in the beginning. He threw Goldberg all around the ring before the latter fought back to get on his feet. Lashley’s mistimed Spear that saw him crash into the table also helped Goldberg take complete control over the match.

Goldberg eventually hit Jackhammer on his opponent but uncharacteristically decided not to go for the pin. Instead, he threw Lashley to the ringside and then delivered a Spear, pushing his opponent through the barricade. This prompted Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander to come and help Lashley, but they could not stop Goldberg, who demolished the Hurt Business as well.

In the end, Goldberg’s Spear took Lashley off the ramp and he crashed into the table kept at the side before being pinned. Goldberg celebrated by hugging many kids in the audience after one of his best performances over the last few years. The only criticism that can be directed towards this result at WWE Crown Jewel is the one related to its potential impact on Lashley’s run.

He was a dominant world champion, and since losing the title, he has taken two big losses. His defeat at WWE Crown Jewel should not push him back to mid-card as it would be a disastrous decision for RAW. Instead, the writers must ensure that they once again make him look strong to prepare him for an eventual feud with Brock Lesnar, a free agent.

#8 Honourable mention: Zelina Vega’s much-deserved redemption at WWE Crown Jewel, Mansoor’s annual push

Zelina Vega had a huge opportunity at WWE Crown Jewel to make up for all her losses since returning to the promotion. She faced Doudrop in a promising final, intending to win the inaugural Queen’s Crown tournament. Both superstars did well in posing a credible in-ring threat during their brief but entertaining bout.

Vega relied heavily on her flexibility while Doudrop made use of her brute strength. The latter fought well but could not stop a determined Vega who used the Code Red powerbomb to seal her historic victory at WWE Crown Jewel. We are excited to see Zelina Vega’s reign as the Queen. Hopefully, she will be booked strongly to make the aforementioned title as honorable as the prestigious King of the Ring laurel.

Another impressive performer at WWE Crown Jewel was none other than Mansoor. He faced Mustafa Ali in a singles match following their recent feud. As has always been the case, Mansoor was impressive inside the ring as he took on Ali and the crowd’s support for him acted as the icing on the cake.

After a highly engaging back-and-forth, Mansoor eventually hit a twisting neckbreaker off the top rope to pick up a big win over Ali. After the match, Ali started to hit his opponent, but that prompted 2020 Olympics’ silver medalist Tareg Hamedi to walk out and save Mansoor. He took Ali out of the equation with a kick and celebrated with Mansoor amidst a huge pop from the audience at WWE Crown Jewel.

There is one thing common in both the winners mentioned above. Their push is often limited to an event. While Vega is often subjected to underwhelming losses, Mansoor is booked as a strong competitor only ahead of WWE Crown Jewel every year. Both superstars have shown why the creative team should trust them with better storylines, and we hope that they will be booked accordingly after the pay-per-view as well.