Bleacher Report's WWE Staff Predictions for Crown Jewel 2019

The Doctor Chris MuellerOct 30, 2019

WWE returns to Saudi Arabia on Thursday when Crown Jewel 2019 takes place at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.

Here is a look at the card for the event, according to WWE.com:

Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez (WWE Championship)
Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt (Universal Championship, Falls Count Anywhere)
Tyson Fury vs. Braun Strowman
Team Flair vs. Team Hogan
Mansoor vs. Cesaro
Nine-team Tag Team Turmoil match
20-Man Battle Royal (winner earns a U.S. title shot later in the night)

Let's see how the Bleacher Report staff thinks everything will go down on Thursday. Here's a look at our lineup of contributors:

Anthony Mango (AM) (@ToeKneeManGo)
Graham Matthews (GM) (@WrestleRant)
Donald Wood (DW) (@Donald_Wood)
Erik Beaston (EB) (@ErikBeaston)
Chris Mueller (CM) (@BR_Doctor)

Donald Wood

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Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

Q: On a scale from 1-10, how do you think Velasquez is doing as a WWE Superstar so far?

Five out of 10. It's unfair to fully judge Velasquez on just a handful of appearances, but thus far, it hasn't been great. His mic skills are lackluster at best, and the anticipated excitement around his debut has not lived up to expectations. The hope at Crown Jewel is that he shines in the ring and proves many of the skeptics wrong.

Tyson Fury vs. Braun Strowman

Q: Do you think Fury should work more matches with WWE after this or should this be a one-off event?

Fury is one of the biggest personalities in boxing, but he has a long way to go before he is a viable WWE Superstar. He certainly has the size and physical prowess to one day be part of the WWE roster, but he has looked out of his element against Strowman and needs a lot more work before he works additional matches for the company.

Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt

Q: What needs to happen in this match to keep people from getting upset as they did at the end of Hell in a Cell?

An appearance from The Undertaker. Neither Rollins nor Wyatt should be taking a loss at Crown Jewel, so there has to be some sort of convoluted finish. After Hell in a Cell, though, WWE is rightly skittish about that decision. An appearance from The Deadman attacking The Fiend and launching a new feud would not only allow Rollins to retain the universal title, but it would also move Wyatt away from the storyline.

Erik Beaston

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Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

Q: On a scale from 1-10, how do you think Velasquez is doing as a WWE Superstar so far?

7. Velasquez has been presented as a big deal: a major professional athlete who has an obvious history with Lesnar. He looks the part, has gotten over via his relationship with Rey Mysterio and should benefit in the long term if WWE Creative can sustain his push. The sneak attack on Friday’s SmackDown hurt his aura, though.

Tyson Fury vs. Braun Strowman

Q: Do you think Fury should work more matches with WWE after this or should this be a one-off event?

This should be a one-off. Fury is not as over with the audience as management probably hoped he would be, nor has his involvement bought them a ton of mainstream media. He is clearly charismatic, but it hasn't necessarily translated to the television product.

Strowman isn't the guy to bring that out of him, either. Let Fury continue his boxing career, build his star even more and come back at a later time. For now, Crown Jewel should be the end.

Tag Team Turmoil Match

Q: This match is to determine the best tag team in the world. Which tag team, WWE or not, do you think deserves this title?

In a fair and just world, The Usos or The New Day would win this just as a tip of the hat to their consistent excellence over the last half-decade. The other option is The Revival. Unfortunately, it doesn't feel like any of them are winning this match. Would anyone be surprised if Shane McMahon popped up with Elias or someone and won?

Graham Matthews

3 of 6

Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

Q: On a scale from 1-10, how do you think Velasquez is doing as a WWE Superstar so far?

Five. Velasquez obviously has a history with Lesnar, but other than that, fans have been given zero incentive to care about him so far. He isn't receiving the Superstar-level reactions he should be right now because of how underwhelming their feud has been. Here's hoping he delivers at Crown Jewel because his WWE run-up to this point has been far from impressive.

Tyson Fury vs. Braun Strowman

Q: Do you think Fury should work more matches with WWE after this or should this be a one-off event?

It's apparent Fury is a genuine WWE fan, which should be acknowledged and appreciated, so unless his match with Strowman falls flat, there's no reason why he shouldn't be invited back at some point. Seeing as he has a fight coming up in February, it wouldn't be anytime soon (or even at WrestleMania 36), but later in 2020 is a definite possibility.

20-Man Battle Royal (Winner gets a U.S. title shot)

Q: Which WWE Superstar who has never had a long-term feud with AJ Styles would you like to see have an extended program with him?

There's a ton of Superstars from the Raw brand who would be excellent rivals for Styles eventually, but Aleister Black should lead the list. They have yet to collide one-on-one in WWE and are guaranteed to have great chemistry together when they do. Black is still looking for his first taste of gold on the main roster, and the United States Championship might be it.

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Anthony Mango

4 of 6

Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

Q: On a scale from 1-10, how do you think Velasquez is doing as a WWE Superstar so far?

Five. He doesn't look like a star and has yet to do anything impressive physically or on the mic, but WWE is putting the machine behind him. That has helped counterbalance some of that problem. Without his built-in celebrity status and WWE's hype steering the ship, nobody would be paying any attention to him.

Tyson Fury vs. Braun Strowman

Q: Do you think Fury should work more matches with WWE after this or should this be a one-off event?

If Fury does a good enough job and is a natural fit for this business, he certainly has more possible opponents in the future. Samoa Joe's submission history, King Corbin's Golden Gloves wins and Lesnar's overall package could make for great fuel for feuds with Fury.

Team Hogan vs. Team Flair

Q: Does WWE use legends too much or do you enjoy seeing them regularly?

WWE should use the legends while it still can. It would be a problem if Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair were wrestling an awful match and taking up a spot on the card that could go to someone else, but this setup with the two as figureheads in the corner of 10 talented Superstars is exactly how legends should be used to make otherwise meaningless matches feel special.

I see no reason to stop having fun with legends, so long as they don't get in the way of the roster's progress.

Chris Mueller

5 of 6

Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

Q: On a scale from 1-10, how do you think Velasquez is doing as a WWE Superstar so far?

3. If I am comparing him to the average person who gets signed by WWE, Velasquez is at a three. He has shown no personality, and the few times he has gotten physical were not impressive. He could have a good performance at Crown Jewel but that doesn't make what he has done to this point any better.

Tyson Fury vs. Braun Strowman

Q: Do you think Fury should work more matches with WWE after this or should this be a one-off event?

This should be a one-off. Fury can be entertaining, but he is also problematic for the company because he doesn't have an internal censor. This is the kind of match casual fans enjoy, but the hardcore audience has yet to show it cares about him as a performer.

Mansoor vs. Cesaro

Q: What is your overall impression of Mansoor as a WWE Superstar? Do you think he will ever make it to the main roster?

In the few appearances he has had on WWE television, Mansoor comes across as green but dedicated to improving as a pro wrestler. He has the passion and the physical ability to do the job, so if he keeps his head down, listens to the coaches at the Performance Center and continues to improve, he could be on the main roster in a few years.

Predictions

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Each person's prediction will be represented by their initials next to their choice. Winners for the Tag Team Turmoil and Battle Royal will be listed below.

Predictions