Hot Take: WWE Crown Jewel Is Going to Be Must-See TV with AEW Creating Urgency

WWE is finally going to give fans what they want: a Crown Jewel event that matters.

And those fans probably have themselves and All Elite Wrestling to thank.

Since the company started its overseas mega-event in Saudi Arabia in 2018, the show has mostly been a flop with regular WWE viewers. While billed as a pay-per-view-styled showcase, it felt more like a house show where the results didn't matter.

In the past, fans would go into the viewing experience with the understanding that nothing major would happen, belts likely wouldn't change hands and the show was generally just a showcase of older talent for a global audience that yearned for the glory days.

Case in point, the first show in 2018 let D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) main-event against The Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane). The second show in 2019 featured Cain Velasquez against Brock Lesnar and Tyson Fury against Braun Strowman.

But it sounds like the third event in the 10-year plan, scheduled for Oct. 21, is about to change the narrative.

According to Mat Men's Andrew Zarian (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), WWE is aware of the show's reputation as a "very big house show" and wants to make sure this year's event has major implications for storylines.

And looking at the known card, there's a chance for that to ring true.

At the bottom of the card, fans have a Goldberg-Bobby Lashley encounter that is a rehash of a match from over the summer. It's easy to write that one off with a no thanks, as Goldberg is only there to appease a crowd that wants to see him. But there's always the potential for a quick-hitting, memorable and fun affair (if it draws inspiration from those Goldberg-Lesnar matches from a few years ago).

The Raw Tag Team Championship will be on the line in the match between RK-Bro (Randy Orton and Riddle) and AJ Styles and Omos. That contest could easily feature a title change that furthers a long-term storyline. Ditto for the Triple Threat for the SmackDown Women's Championship between Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks—or at the very least, some extracurriculars that can evolve the storyline.

When Big E takes on Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship, it shouldn't feature any sort of title change, which makes the outcome predictable. But it's still a pay-per-view-quality bout fans normally wouldn't get to see, with the challenger soon heading to SmackDown to feud with the likes of Roman Reigns. Plus, it will be Big E's first big win as the top title-boasting, show-leading presence on Raw.

Then there's Reigns against Lesnar. Yes, it has been done plenty of times in the past. But not like this. This is WrestleMania main event material. Lesnar is the returning, conquering hero tasked with taking on not only a juggernaut of a heel but a Reigns also accompanied by the former UFC heavyweight champion's longtime friend and advocate Paul Heyman.

And with that main event, it's impossible to be 100 percent confident it goes one way or the other.

Yes, Reigns could win to keep his fun run going before moving on to face other challengers in the aftermath of the draft. But are we sure about that? Are we going to put it past WWE to pull a surprise and throw a belt on a part-timer again? Are we sure Lesnar isn't the perfect way to get the belt off Reigns for a little bit, maybe to set up a 'Mania rematch? This is, after all, Lesnar's first big match as we start to exit the pandemic era. And are we sure the scheming, plotting Heyman doesn't pull a fast one?

We can't be certain about any of it, which makes it fun. And if nothing else, we know the two are fun in the ring together, never mind the likely interference by the champion's friends, plus the Heyman factor.

At least partially, WWE fans have AEW to thank here. Were there no legitimate competition, it would be much easier for WWE to look at Crown Jewel, shrug off the reputation it has with fans and keep things the same while cashing the check.

WWE can't afford that luxury now. AEW is a powerhouse in the mindshare of fans thanks to assembling a roster that creates must-see television, headlined by recent additions like CM Punk, Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson. And the new company on the block has made it clear it won't take shows off—after all, Punk's debut happened on a Friday night in a bad time slot on a new one-hour show.

While WWE isn't in any serious danger from the competition just yet, things are slowly trending that way. There's no room for a shrug-worthy show. And maybe the most important factor, the Superstars themselves probably don't like the idea of just going through the motions overseas and then hearing the fan backlash because they weren't permitted to do anything significant despite the scope of the stage.

So this year? It's worth getting a little hyped for Crown Jewel. That's risky given WWE's approach in the past. But the presence of a worthwhile competitor—never mind the fact that we are in the thick of the NFL season—could mean the best overseas show to date and lead to something WWE doesn't do often: exceeding fan expectations and sending them home excited for what comes next.