WWE Crown Jewel 2023 - Best and Worst - Huge return, Roman Reigns wins again, bizarre segment

WWE Crown Jewel 2023 aired yesterday. The big event took place live in Saudi Arabia, which means it aired much earlier in the day for fans from the United States of America and in various other regions of the world.

The show was stacked, with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins both defending their world titles. Additionally, both world champions of the female ranks also defended their coveted titles, with IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley having their own unique challenges.

Moreover, the big show from Saudi Arabia has gotten a positive reception from the fans of World Wrestling Entertainment. It was a high-quality show. With that being said, it was not without some issues or less-than-ideal decisions.

This article will look at a handful of the best and worst moments from the major event. This includes a baffling segment, a surprise return, and a major title not changing hands. What were the most memorable moments, for better and worse?

Below are the best and worst of WWE Crown Jewel 2023.

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#3. Worst: Damian Priest teasing a cash-in

Damian Priest

The opening bout of the night saw Seth Rollins defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre. After a hard-fought bout, the Visionary defeated The Scottish Warrior. His night almost went poorly right after, as Senor Money in the Bank Damian Priest appeared.

Priest rushed down to ringside with the hopes of capturing his first world title in WWE. However, before it could become official, Sami Zayn popped up out of nowhere and ran off with the briefcase.

While this was a fun moment, teasing the cash-in could be disappointing to some fans. A major title changing hands in Saudi Arabia is not very common, and the WWE Universe thought it was about to happen only for the moment to be taken away from them.

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#3. Best: Roman Reigns defeated LA Knight

Roman Reigns

The main event of the night saw Roman Reigns defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against LA Knight. The bout was ultra-competitive, with Reigns making the Megastar look like exactly what his nickname states. However, in the end, interference from Jimmy Uso helped The Tribal Chief stand tall.

While some fans may be frustrated that their favorite star lost, Roman winning is the best move. Cody Rhodes needs to be the one to finish the story, and WrestleMania 40 is rapidly approaching. LA Knight will get his moment, but not yet.

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#2. Worst: Sami Zayn was mostly relegated to the Crown Jewel Kickoff

While Sami Zayn did have a brief cameo following the opening bout, where he stole Damian Priest's Money in the Bank briefcase, many WWE fans were likely disappointed by the fact that he did not have a major match on the show. However, Zayn did wrestle at Crown Jewel.

Zayn battled JD McDonagh on the Crown Jewel 2023 Kickoff. The bout was a good one, and The Underdog from the Underground was loved by the audience. Unfortunately, that is part of the reason the match was so disappointing.

The last time Sami was in Saudi Arabia, he and Kevin Owens appeared in the main event of the show. However, this time, Sami was on the Crown Jewel Kickoff. He is still very popular and being pushed, but it was disappointing to see Sami Zayn being relegated tonight.

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#2. Best: Rhea Ripley continues to be treated like a star

One of the best parts of WWE Crown Jewel 2023 came down to the presentation. Rhea Ripley was treated like an absolute star at the big event in Saudi Arabia. It all started with a special entrance that made The Eradicator seem like a big deal.

From there, Rhea defended her Women's World Championship against four extremely talented women. Nia Jax, Raquel Rodriguez, Shayna Baszler, and Zoey Stark all fought hard in the bout, but in the end, Mami stood tall.

Ever since Triple H took over WWE's creative direction, Rhea has been treated as a major star. That treatment has continued, which only helps to elevate everybody else that she works with. This was yet another positive step in her ongoing push.

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#1. Worst: The Miz & Grayson Waller segment was bizarre

WWE Crown Jewel 2023 was a very strong show. Every match was delivered to perfection to some degree, with many overdelivering. While that is true, there was a bonus segment that was just plain odd. The Miz came out to host a special edition of Miz TV, but things quickly went off the rails.

The Miz's guest on his show was a popular actor and WWE fan, Ibrahim Al Hajjaj. While the fans in attendance were eating the moment up, it felt odd to fans not being familiar with him. As they spoke, Grayson Waller then showed up and attempted to take over the segment.

This eventually led to The Miz and Ibrahim beating Waller up. Hajjaj finished things with his version of The People's Elbow. Those locals may have enjoyed the segment, but it just felt bizarre to most other fans.

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#1. Best: Kairi Sane is back in WWE

The best moment of the night undoubtedly came during the Bianca Belair and IYO SKY's bout. Many believed The EST would regain the WWE Women's Championship, especially as she was taking care of Bayley when The Role Model tried to interfere in the match by being present ringside.

Then, out of nowhere, Kairi Sane made her WWE return. The Pirate Princess hit Bianca with a few blows. Once The EST rolled into the ring in pain, she was immediately hit with an Over the Moonsault. IYO SKY then pinned Belair to retain her belt.

Kairi Sane is a phenomenal wrestler, so her return is great news. Not only does it make for an intriguing story with Damage CTRL, but she will add even more quality to a stacked division. Additionally, it was quite a nice surprise.

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What was your favorite moment from WWE Crown Jewel 2023? Sound off in the comments section below!