WWE Crown Jewel live results: HHH & HBK vs. Undertaker & Kane

Amid controversy, the second show in WWE’s 10-year deal with the Saudi General Sports Authority takes place at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh today.

Shawn Michaels will make his return to the ring as he teams with Triple H against The Undertaker & Kane. A new Universal Champion will also be crowned, with Braun Strowman facing Brock Lesnar for the vacant title.

With Daniel Bryan not wrestling in Saudi Arabia, AJ Styles will instead defend his WWE Championship against Samoa Joe. John Cena also pulled out of WWE’s World Cup tournament and was replaced by Bobby Lashley. Lashley vs. Seth Rollins and Kurt Angle vs. Dolph Ziggler are set for Raw’s side of the bracket, and Jeff Hardy vs. The Miz and Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton are SmackDown’s first round matches.

A stipulation for the World Cup was set up this week as Shane McMahon said he would fire the SmackDown wrestler who makes it to the finals if they lose to Raw.

SmackDown Tag Team Champions Cesaro & Sheamus defend their titles against The New Day. And on the pre-show, Rusev challenges for Shinsuke Nakamura’s United States title.

Hulk Hogan will also make his return to WWE as the host of Crown Jewel. The pre-show begins on the WWE Network at 11 a.m. Eastern time, with the main card starting at noon Eastern.

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Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Rusev to retain the WWE United States title

The crowd was still filing in as this match was going on, but they were hot for this match. Rusev fired back with some lariats after Nakamura had control for part of the match. Nakamura cuts him off and lands a running knee. Rusev connected with a machka kick and went for the accolade but Nakamura went to the apron and connected with a knee to the head. 

Nakamura went for the kinshasa but Rusev tripped him and applied the accolade. Nakamura went for the ropes, Rusev dragged him back in the middle but in the process Nakamura managed to headbutt Rusev right in the netheregions. That allowed Nakamura to recover and pin Rusev after the kinshasa. Not much of a match, but a clever finish at least.

Hulk Hogan came out to start the show, got a pyrotechnic show and everything. Said it was awesome to be back in the WWE and to be hosting Crown Jewel. And that was it, another pyrotechnic show followed. Judging by Hogan’s promo and the graphics showing they’re in “Riyadh”, WWE is going out of their way not to mention the words “Saudi Arabia” on their broadcast.

World Cup: Rey Mysterio defeated Randy Orton

Mysterio went for a springboard early but Orton cut him off with a big dropkick. He took Mysterio to the top rope and tried to rip off his mask. Mysterio followed with a senton and a springboard crossbody. 

Mysterio went for the 619 but Orton grabbed Mysterio and planted him with the draping DDT. He motioned for the RKO but Mysterio countered with a roll up and got the win. This was short and not much of anything.

Orton planted Mysterio with an RKO after the match. He motioned like he was going to leave, but instead slid him out of the ring and planted him face first on the Arabic announcer’s table, apparently landing on a monitor.

Miz was asked about potentially facing an injured Rey Mysterio. He said with the way this tournament is lining up, he feels awesome.

World Cup: The Miz defeated Jeff Hardy

Miz was asked about potentially facing an injured Rey Mysterio. He said with the way this tournament is lining up, he feels awesome.

Miz gained control early, grinding down Hardy. Miz hit a couple of dropkicks in the corner, but Hardy responded with a clothesline and made his comeback. Hary went for a twist of fate but Miz escaped.

Hardy hit whisper in the wind, but got cut off by Miz on the apron. Miz went for the figure four but Hardy cradled him for a near fall.Hardy sends Miz out of the ring, runs on the barricade and jumps off, hitting Miz with a clothesline. Hardy goes for a swanton bomb, but Miz rolls out of the way.

Miz posts Hardy and uses the ropes, but the referee sees it. Hardy goes for a twist of fate, but Miz countered with the skull crushing finale for the win. Kind of clunky overall and the finish was anti-climatic.

World Cup: Seth Rollins defeated Bobby Lashley

Lashley dominated the match early until Rollins escaped from a vertical suplex. Rollins hit two suicide dives to the floor. Lashley cut him off and went for a superplex. Rollins went for a sunset flip, but couldn’t get it. Lashley escaped from a powerbomb attempt, but then Rollins landed the stomp out of nowhere for the win. Another nothing match.

Kurt Angle backstage said most people doubt he can win. But people also doubted him when he won the Olympic gold medal with a broken friggin’ neck. He’ll prove tonight that he’s still the best in the world.

World Cup: Dolph Ziggler defeated Kurt Angle

They start off with some mat wrestling. Angle landed a belly to belly and a couple of German suplexes. They meet on the apron where Angle tried to German Ziggler to the floor, but Ziggler laid him out and threw him into the stairs.

Angle drives Ziggler into the turnbuckle and started a comeback until Ziggler laid him out with a DDT. Angle hit the Angle Slam for a near fall. He went for the Angle lock, but Ziggler escaped and hit a famouser.

Angle rolled through Ziggler and applied the Angle lock. Ziggler tried to escape, eventually doing do. He then posted Angle and planted him with the zig zag for the win. This was pretty decent. 

The Bar defeated The New Day to retain the SmackDown tag team titles

The New Day came out on what I guess would be a magic carpet, throwing out pancakes.

Things started off with some good back and forth until Cesaro managed to cut off Kofi Kingston. They worked on him forever until Kofi escaped and tagged in Big E, who made a big comeback. Big E planted Sheamus with a uranage and went for the spear to the floor but Sheamus cut him off. Big E tagged in Kofi, who hit a double foot stomp as Big E planted Sheamus with a powerbomb for a near fall.

Kofi took out Cesaro on the outside as Big Show on the apron. Big E avoided the brogue kick but was shoved into the referee. Big Show punched Big E, allowing Sheamus to connect with the brogue kick for the win. A total paint by numbers match.

The Miz was interviewed. Tonight isn’t about happy endings, it’s about beating Rey Mysterio and proving he’s the best in the world. His voice seemed off and mentioned that he injured his throat during the first match. Rey Mysterio said he’s been underestimated by bigger and better.

World Cup semi finals: The Miz defeated Rey Mysterio

Rey controlled early, sliding himself to the floor with a splash. Mysterio started to sell his ribs after the splash. Mysterio went to leap on Miz’s shoulders but Miz instead fell, causing Mysterio to land face first on the mat.

Miz started to work him over, but Mysterio fought back, only to be laid out. In a callback from earlier, Miz slid Rey out of the ring, landing on his ribs. 

Mysterio started to mount a comeback, landing a crossbody. Miz is sent into the second turnbuckle as Mysterio goes for the 619. Miz grabs him, smashes his head on the nearby top turnbuckle and lands the skull crushing finale…but Mysterio kicks out.

Miz pelts him with kicks, but Mysterio fights back, hitting the 619. Mysterio takes his time getting to the top rope, and when he goes for the frog splash Miz gets the knees up and cradles him for the win. This was okay overall, nothing special but the finish was pretty good.

World Cup semi finals: Dolph Ziggler defeated Seth Rollins

Dolph got the heat on Rollins after Rollins got distracted by McIntyre on the outside, working on his neck. Rollins came back and they exchanged a number of near falls before Rollins hit the ripchord knee for another near fall.

Rollins hit a suicide dive on the outside, taking out both Ziggler and McIntyre. Back in the ring, Ziggler hit the famouser. Rollins met Ziggler on the top rope and hit the superplex. Rollins tried for the Falcon Arrow, but Ziggler countered with the zig zag.

Rollins goes to the top rope, but McIntyre grabbed his leg. Ziggler connects with a superkick and picks up the win. So it’s heel Dolph vs. heel Miz in the finals. Match was pretty good.

Saxton interviewed Ziggler, saying it wasn’t fair how he got the win and it was an upset. Ziggler dismissed that and said the next time you see him, he’ll be holding his trophy because he’s the best in the world.

AJ Styles defeated Samoa Joe to retain the WWE title

Styles was in control early, taking him to the outside and posting him. Joe lifted him up, however, and drove him head first into the barricade, getting the heat. Joe blasted AJ with a suicide dive, sending ribs first into the announcer’s table.

AJ connects with a kick and hits the reverse DDT. He looks for the phenomenal forearm, but Joe escapes and hits a big powerslam and lariat. Styles goes for an O’Connor roll but Joe catches him in the coquina clutch. Styles grabs him and goes for the calf crusher but Joe quickly gets to the ropes. AJ connects with a pele kick then scores the phenomenal forearm for the win. This was good while it lasted, but they’ve had better matches.

Brock Lesnar defeated Braun Strowman to win the WWE Universal title

Baron Corbin, who came out with the Universal title, hit Strowman in the back with the title before the match started. Lesnar then destroyed Braun Strowman, hitting him with four F5’s, one to the floor. Strowman mounted a brief comeback, but Lesnar laid him out with a fifth for the win. No, it makes no sense to bury someone like this, nor does it make sense for Lesnar to win the title. But this is what they do. 

McIntyre was sent to the back before the World Cup finals started. They fought before the bell rang, with Miz sending Ziggler into the steps. Miz favored his knee heavily. They sold like this was about to be called a forfeit in favor of Ziggler because Miz couldn’t continue. Shane McMahon said no, he would take his place. So after hyping this tournament for weeks, Shane just inserts himself in, everyone seems fine with it and the match starts. Even the announcers couldn’t sell this as making a lick of sense. 

Shane McMahon defeated Dolph Ziggler to win the World Cup

Well, duh.

So Ziggler cut Shane and hit the zig zag. Shane fired back with a DDT and slingshotted Ziggler into the turnbuckle. Shane hit the coast to coast. And yes, in case you were wondering who the best in the world is, it is Shane McMahon, who wrestles maybe twice a year and just beat Dolph Ziggler clean in minutes. Raw announcers sold this like it was a heel move. Whatever. These last two matches couldn’t be more destructive towards people that need a boost the most.

Shane celebrated with the trophy as a huge pyrotechnic show followed. A McMahon winning this tournament, which was to crown the best in the world, feels like an allegory for something.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels defeated The Undertaker and Kane

Triple H and Kane start things off. Shawn was tagged in and looked fine. He hit a neckbreaker but Kane came up. After teasing a superkick, Undertaker was tagged in. All four got in the ring as HBK was put in the tree of woe position. Kane threw Triple H into Shawn as both DX members tumbled to the floor.

Back in the ring, Undertaker hit old school on Shawn. He avoided a boot in the corner and tagged in Triple H. Kane was tagged in and they exchanged chops. Shawn came in and took down Kane, then did the kip up. Double suplex spot by DX. Shawn connected with the elbow.

Shawn motions for the sweet chin music but Kane grabs him and lands the chokeslam instead. Undertaker comes back in and gets the heat, looking for his own chokeslam. He takes out Triple H, which allows Shawn to strike with the sweet chin music. Undertaker gets back to his feet and clears out the Arabic announcer’s table. 

Triple H grabs Shawn from his doom as he takes out Kane and Undertaker by throwing them into the steps and guardrail, respectively. Well, I think he threw himself and Undertaker into the barricade, but whatever. Kane grabs Hunter by the throat, however, and sends him through the announce table. Undertaker takes out Shawn with a legdrop on the apron.

Undertaker taunts Triple H as he takes Shawn and puts him back in the ring. They work him over some more. Undertaker went for a tombstone on the floor, but Shawn escaped and threw him into the post. Kane’s mask came off at some point as Shawn went to the top rope and hit a moonsault.

Triple H is tagged in as he makes a comeback. He may have hurt his arm at some point during this match. Undertaker reversed a pedigree with the back body drop. Triple H reversed a tombstone and hit a pedigree. Hunter dispatched Kane as Undertaker locked in the hell’s gate. Kane grabbed Shawn but he escaped and hit a superkick, landing on Undertaker and breaking that submission.

Brothers of Destruction go for stereo tombstones but both DX members escape. Shawn superkicks Undertaker, then superkicks Kane, who walks into a pedigree. Triple H pins Kane for the win. This was better than last month’s match. Shawn looked great but honestly this was still a very plodding, long match.

Pyrotechnics display to close out the show. To quote Jim Ross after that Jackie Gayda match, mercifully, Crown Jewel is over.