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WWE Crown Jewel, one of the most highly anticipated events of the year, is in the history books. For the most part, the show lived up to the hype and garnered enough news to stimulate buzz on social media in its aftermath.
In a surprisingly evenly matched encounter, Roman Reigns retained his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Logan Paul. Brock Lesnar defeated Bobby Lashley in the most unconvincing way imaginable. Bianca Belair prevailed against Bayley in the first-ever Last Woman Standing Match in Saudi Arabia.
With such an unforgettable evening, the show paved the way for many future angles and asked important questions. Here, we look at 5 of the biggest questions coming out of WWE Crown Jewel.
#5 Is Bobby Lashley Brock Lesnar's superior?
In a way, both Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley accomplished what they intended to do at Crown Jewel. Although the history books will show The Beast as the winner of their second encounter, The All Mighty delivered a beating that his arch-nemesis will not forget in the foreseeable future.
The Conqueror removed the blemish on his near-impeccable streak of dominance by pinning Bobby Lashley, but it happened in a highly unconvincing manner. Unable to escape The Hurt Lock, Lesnar kicked off the top turnbuckle of the ring corner to pin his opponent while Lashley's shoulders were down on the mat.
The former U.S. Champion was visibly frustrated and locked in The Hurt Lock on a weakened Lesnar, who nearly passed out on the ropes. The finish made the ten-time World Champion look weak. There is no shame in losing clean to the most prolific athlete in combat sports history. The All-Mighty could have been protected in a clean defeat by effective selling.
Furthermore, the post-match assault effectively established Lashley as the more dominant force. The Beast looked mortal at Crown Jewel, and The Dominator proved to be the better man, even in defeat.
#4 Is WWE reuniting Bray Wyatt and Alexa Bliss?
WWE Crown Jewel 2022 was not the most successful and memorable evening for Alexa Bliss. The former RAW Women's Champion lost her Tag Team Championships, which she won five days ago, to DAMAGE CTRL's Dakota Kai and IYO SKY.
Asuka and Alexa Bliss would have hoped to hold the Tag Team Championships for much longer, but it seems as if The Goddess is being groomed for bigger things. During a pre-match interview, Bliss was caught off guard by the appearance of Bray Wyatt's White Rabbit logo.
Moments later, Michael Cole referred to Wyatt's history with Bliss and reminded everyone that the former Universal Champion was in the stadium. The closing moments of the Women's Tag Team match were also thought-provoking. Nikki Cross appeared from nowhere to cost Bliss, a former friend and tag-team partner, the championships.
What were Cross' motives for attacking and turning on Alexa Bliss? Does this have anything to do with Bray Wyatt? A Wyatt-Bliss reunion is far from impossible, and we will get more answers in the coming weeks.
#3 How do you solve "The Rhea Ripley Problem?"
The Judgment Day has no official leader, but the devious faction's X-factor is Rhea Ripley. The former WWE NXT Women's Champion is the backbone of the group and always tilts the scales in their favor. At Crown Jewel, Ripley once again proved instrumental in the trio's six-man tag match with The O.C.
As AJ Styles prepared to land a Phenomenal Forearm on the ring apron, Rhea Ripley attacked and sent him crashing face-first into the apron. The distraction allowed Finn Balor to take advantage and land a Coup de Grace for the victory. Styles and his buddies might have won the high-stakes battle if Ripley wasn't at ringside.
The Phenomenal One was concerned about "The Rhea Ripley" problem, which has persistently been an impediment. As they are unwilling to put their hands on a woman, Ripley has become a massive problem for The O.C. They need a solution fast, and Judgment Day will always win unless they can find one.
#2 Has WWE given up on Omos?
WWE booked their version of Godzilla vs. Kong when Omos and Braun Strowman locked horns in Riyadh to see who the true "giant" was in the company. The Nigerian Giant had the size advantage, and MVP, although not at ringside, got into Strowman's head in the build-up towards the colossal war.
However, the former Universal Champion put on an endearing display of perseverance and strength to prove that he was "The Monster of All Monsters." Omos dominated him for most of the match with ease, tossing him around like trash and easily slamming him with Bodyslams. Strowman fought back and landed a massive Running Powerslam for the win.
The direction for Strowman seems clear: The Monster of All Monsters is being built up as the next big super heavyweight. However, the future doesn't seem too bright for Omos, who has struggled to remain relevant under Triple H's creative regime. Crown Jewel may have been the nail in the coffin, for he lost the remaining mystique and aura of his once-invincible character.
It seems as if WWE has no long-term goals to accomplish with The Nigerian Giant, and he will likely be used as an undercard talent or stepping stone until they figure out what to do with him.
#1 Who will be next in line to acknowledge The Tribal Chief?
As expected, Logan Paul couldn't pull off a miracle at WWE Crown Jewel, and Roman Reigns defeated the YouTube sensation to extend his illustrious championship reign. There were quite a few close calls, and Mrsool Park was rocking, but Reigns proved that he was in a league of his own creation.
Paul managed to land the "lucky" strikes, but it still wasn't enough to defeat The Tribal Chief. Given the Herculean effort, The Maverick may soon be in line for a rematch. Jake Paul was not that far from the action and drama. Could the MMA fighter step up to avenge his elder brother's loss and silence Roman Reigns?
Now, WWE will likely begin its build for Survivor Series: WarGames. Reigns is expected to be a part of the show, but odds are that he won't defend his Undisputed World Championships. This gives Triple H ample time to provide a credible challenger.
Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, and Bobby Lashley are obvious candidates. However, time will tell. One thing is for certain: it doesn't matter who challenges The Tribal Chief next for, they will likely end up acknowledging him anyway.
