Retour
The WWE's next premium live event is Crown Jewel at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. (12 p.m. ET on ESPN Unlimited). The PLE debuted in 2018, with all but one event taking place in Riyadh.
Two years ago, WWE introduced the annual tradition in which the men's and women's world champions from "Raw" face the WWE champions from "SmackDown," with the winners becoming that year's Crown Jewel champions.
Cody Rhodes and Liv Morgan claimed the inaugural Crown Jewel titles in 2024, defeating Gunther and Nia Jax, respectively. Last year, Seth Rollins beat Rhodes, and Stephanie Vaquer defeated Tiffany Stratton to win the titles. This year, World Heavyweight champion Roman Reigns will face WWE champion Sami Zayn. In the women's match, Morgan, who holds the Women's World Championship, takes on WWE Women's champion Chelsea Green. Morgan looks to make history by becoming the first two-time Crown Jewel champion.
Though the Crown Jewel Championship is a recent addition to the WWE, matches pitting two champions against each other have been a part of the company's history for decades. Join us as we revisit some of the most memorable champion vs. champion battles.
This match was one of three WrestleMania main events to feature multiple championships on the line, and it was the first. Entering WrestleMania VI, Hogan was in the midst of his second WWE Championship reign and one day shy of a full year with the title, which he won at WrestleMania V. The Ultimate Warrior entered as the Intercontinental champion. Both belts were at stake in this singles match.
The winner-take-all main event, won by The Ultimate Warrior, marked the first time a WWE superstar held the WWE Championship and Intercontinental Championship simultaneously.
The first Vengeance PLE featured a series of matches to unify the WWE Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship. After WWE acquired WCW earlier that year, two championships were in play among the men's roster. In the series, Steve Austin defeated Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship, and Chris Jericho beat The Rock for the World Heavyweight Championship. The winners then battled in the main event to unify the two titles, during which Jericho continued his heel-turn crusade and took down Austin with an assist from Booker T. Jericho will be remembered as the WWE's first Undisputed WWE champion.
This bout centered on CM Punk leaving the company as the WWE champion after beating Cena at Money in the Bank a month earlier. Punk's departure with his newly won title opened the door for a new champion. Rey Mysterio won the title on "Raw," but lost it to Cena the same night. That led to Punk's return after the match and set up a rematch with Cena to determine the true WWE champion.
After another strong match, Punk won again, but his celebration wouldn't last long.
A returning Kevin Nash emerged and attacked Punk. That opened the door for Money in the Bank briefcase holder Alberto Del Rio to cash in and become the new (and only) WWE champion.
WWE put a lot on Owens' plate in his main-roster match. Owens was tasked with taking on the face of the company at a PLE.
In the weeks leading up to Elimination Chamber, Owens arrived on "Raw" to interrupt an open challenge. Instead of challenging Cena for the title, Owens ambushed him, setting up this showdown.
Neither title was on the line in this match. However, the clash was stellar, and Owens won, cementing him as a WWE main eventer.
Rollins and Cena delivered a gem in a rare match where a primary and secondary WWE singles championship were at stake.
After a back-and-forth effort, guest host Jon Stewart got involved. Seemingly there to help the babyface Cena, Stewart attacked him with a chair, leading to Rollins' victory.
This marked the first time that a superstar had held a world title and the United States title simultaneously since Booker T held the WCW Championship and United States Championship in 2001.
This "David vs. Goliath" match came about through an unexpected turn of events. Bryan defeated AJ Styles just days before Survivor Series to win the WWE Championship, turning heel in the process and setting up a match vs. Lesnar.
Rather than playing the underdog fans knew and loved, Bryan wrestled the match with more ruthlessness. The match peaked in the closing moments, when it looked as though Lesnar was on the verge of tapping out during a submission attempt, only to reverse Bryan's position into an F-5.
Unlike some champion vs. champion bouts that felt like exhibitions, this match told a compelling story, showcased excellent psychology, and elevated Bryan despite the loss.
Lynch, Flair and Rousey made history at WrestleMania 35, delivering the promotion's first women's WrestleMania main event. Rousey and Flair entered with their respective titles, while Lynch earned a spot in this match by winning the 2019 women's Royal Rumble.
Lynch seized the opportunity, defeating Rousey by pinfall. She left MetLife Stadium with both championships and embraced the moniker "Becky Two Belts."
Taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic, this match pitted two of WWE's biggest stars from "Raw" and "SmackDown" against each other. Reigns, the Universal champion, had recently reinvented himself as the dominant Tribal Chief, and McIntyre was leading "Raw" as a fighting champion.
In the closing stages, Jey Uso's interference created chaos, allowing Reigns to capitalize and lock in a guillotine choke for the victory. The finish established Reigns' new persona, as the interference and underhanded tactics helped him secure the win. The match was viewed as a WrestleMania-caliber main event and a showcase of two stars at their best.
One of the most iconic rivalries in women's wrestling history featured Lynch and Flair squaring off in a singles match dubbed "The Man vs. The Queen." The former best friends' rivalry dates back to 2015, in the early days of WWE's Women's Revolution.
The pair abandoned flashy exchanges for a physical, aggressive battle filled with taunts, hard strikes and constant attempts to outsmart each other. Eventually, Lynch defeated Flair by using Charlotte's own tactics against her to steal the victory. Their chemistry, shared history and competitive intensity made the match feel important and further solidified their rivalry as one of the defining feuds of the modern women's era.
With the inaugural Crown Jewel Championship on the line, Rhodes faced Gunther in a long-anticipated match. Rhodes, widely regarded as the face of WWE, stood across from one of the promotion's most dominant wrestlers.
Neither champion entered as a clear favorite, as both had built reputations as elite competitors in their primes. With the prestige of the first Crown Jewel championship up for grabs, the match felt like a true big fight. The contest lived up to its hype, as Rhodes earned a historic victory.
Last year's Women's Crown Jewel Championship bout showcased two of WWE's fastest-rising stars who represented the future of the women's division.
Vaquer captured the vacant Women's World Championship by defeating Iyo Sky at Wrestlepalooza, and Stratton entered the match having held the WWE Women's Championship for 268 days. For Vaquer, the bout brought major global recognition and further established her as one of WWE's leading stars. At the same time, it gave Stratton another opportunity to prove that she still belonged among WWE's elite women's wrestlers.
The victory was especially significant for Vaquer, as it ended Stratton's undefeated singles run in 2025. After the match, fans chanted "You deserve it" as an emotional Vaquer celebrated the milestone.
Retour
Top
| Politique de confidentialité Conditions d'utilisation Contact |
Actualiser
|
All the best breaking news stories from Apex Football Lite. Optimised for feature phones and low end Android devices, Apex Football Lite helps users with legacy devices and poor network connectivity access the latest football news and live scores. Particularly relevant for breaking football news in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.