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WWE's association with Saudi Arabia is set to witness its fourth chapter, with WWE Crown Jewel 2019 scheduled to take place on 31st October. The pay-per-view will be held at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyad, Saudi Arabia.
Historically, the PPVs in Saudi Arabia have been notoriously termed as 'glorified House Shows', with matches and storylines being mostly dedicated to pleasing the local crowd. More often than not, they do not end up having satisfactory conclusions.
However, this time, proceedings are expected to be different. With the introduction of Fox Sports as the official broadcast partner of SmackDown, its overwhelming influence on the storylines is noticeable.
The signs of the overarching influence of the network over the storylines are evident from the fact that international sporting superstars such as Cain Velasquez and Tyson Fury are set to begin their WWE careers at Crown Jewel 2019.
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Tyson Fury, a British professional boxer who will go one-on-one against Braun Strowman, is involved in a one-off situation. Whereas Cain Velasquez, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion, is set to restart his rivalry against Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship and would stay involved in WWE storylines for the coming months.
The feud beween Lesner and Velasquez demands special attention. Brock Lesnar defeated Kofi Kingston in an underwhelming encounter to win the WWE Championship on the first episode of Friday Night SmackDown on Fox, only to set up the match between the former MMA rivals at Crown Jewel 2019.
It's important to note that Velasquez brutalized Brock Lesnar for the UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 121 in late 2010 and hence, it is expected that history would repeat itself in professional wrestling as well. However, that might not be the case after all.
Let us look at the reasons why.
#3. No WWE Title has ever changed hands in any of the PPVs in Saudi Arabia
One of the biggest reasons is that why the WWE Universe isn't particularly fond of PPVs held in Saudi Arabia is that titles rarely change hands -- similar to House Shows and Live Events. In fact, no title has changed hands in any of the three previous pay-per-views in Saudi Arabia.
Statistically speaking, over the three PPVs since 2018 (Greatest Royal Rumble, Crown Jewel 2018 and Super ShowDown), a Championship has been on the line fourteen times and none of the titles changed hands. On two occasions, the new title-holders have been decided for the Championships which were previously vacated.
Considering this shocking track-record, it seems highly unlikely that WWE would consider changing hands for its marquee championship at Crown Jewel 2019.
#2. Velasquez's limited experience as a professional wrestler
Cain Velasquez is a household name in the world of Mixed Martial Arts and sports in general. Owing to WWE's association with Fox and the latter's push for a more 'sports-oriented' product, the company has managed to rope in such an accomplished sporting personality.
However, it is important to note that his professional wrestling career began in March 2019 with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide and he has featured in just one match. Although he did impress the critics in his first outing, for the casual WWE fans, he remains an unknown person with no information regarding his in-ring abilities as a wrestler.
Undoubtedly, professional wrestling has seen the arrival of several high-profile MMA fighters in the squared circle, such as Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler and Matt Riddle. However, expect Rousey, none of them have been thrust directly into the main event/title picture.
Hence, it seems highly improbable that WWE would put such high trust in an individual who has just started learning the art of professional wrestling, even if he is the legendary MMA fighter, Cain Velasquez.
#1. Velasquez's lack of connection with WWE Universe
Despite Cain Velasquez's lack of experience in WWE and in professional wrestling, he is challenging for the biggest prize on SmackDown. This move has expectedly turned a number of WWE fans against Velasquez, who still see him as an outsider.
The build-up to this match has left a rather sour taste among the WWE fans. Kofi Kingston's dream run with the WWE Championship, which began with much fanfare at WrestleMania 35, was ended abruptly by Brock Lesnar.
Instead of a much-deserved rematch with Kofi, Velasquez received a shot at the WWE Championship title merely because of his accomplishments in the octagon. Hence, a victory for Velasquez might upset a lot of fans.
Velasquez doesn't have intimidating mic-skills which may cause further hindrance for the former UFC Heavyweight Champion. Currently, Rey Mysterio is playing the role of his manager.
Considering the importance of promo skills in the professional wrestling business and his lack of connection with the WWE Universe, Cain Velasquez faces a rather uphill battle in winning over the fans and reaching the top of the mountain.
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