When WWE announced Crown Jewel 2025 would be held in Perth, Australia instead of its usual Saudi Arabia location, many fans were caught off guard. It was a bold shift — the seventh Crown Jewel, but the first time the event went outside of Saudi. The venue: RAC Arena, Western Australia. The date: Saturday, October 11, 2025. The format was familiar: big matches, cross-brand clashes (Raw vs SmackDown), title stakes, returning legends, and plenty of backstage intrigue.
From early on, you sensed WWE wanted this to be a statement show — not just a tour stop, but a global moment. The card promised some marquee bouts:
- Roman Reigns vs. Bronson Reed in an Australian Street Fight
- Tiffany Stratton vs. Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s Crown Jewel title
- John Cena vs. AJ Styles (a veteran showcase)
- Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky vs. The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) in tag team action
- Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins for the Men’s Crown Jewel Championship
Let’s walk through how it unfolded (match by match), then reflect on what worked, where missteps appeared, and what this might mean going forward.
Match Outcomes & Highlights
Bronson Reed def. Roman Reigns — Australian Street Fight
They kicked off the show with absolute carnage. Reigns tried to own the local crowd early, wielding a cricket bat and even throwing cricket balls (a bit over the top, but thematically Aussie). Reed weathered the storm. The match spilled everywhere: ringside, over barricades, into the stands, tables, chairs — total street fight chaos.
Bron Breakker appeared at a key moment, spearing Reigns, which allowed Reed and Breakker to execute a sort of “Shield-style powerbomb” through the announce table. The Usos intervened to help Reigns, but in a twist of miscommunication, Jey Uso accidentally speared Reigns through a table (yikes). That opened the door for Reed to hit his finishing maneuver — the Tsunami — to pin Reigns clean. The bloodline’s cracks widened instantly. Reigns afterward berated the Usos, saying he didn’t want to see them again until Christmas.
This was perhaps the biggest result of the night: Reigns losing clean in his home country’s show, and Reed standing tall.
Stephanie Vaquer def. Tiffany Stratton — Women’s Crown Jewel Championship
A relatively short but intense battle. Stratton, champion of SmackDown, and Vaquer, Women’s World Champion from Raw, locked up in a clash for the Women’s Crown Jewel title (a relatively new title concept). Early exchanges saw Stratton hitting a handspring elbow and Alabama slam. Vaquer fired back with a dragon screw and a meteora.
At a turning point, Stratton attempted her signature Prettiest Moonsault Ever, but Vaquer evaded it, and then landed a corkscrew splash (or some variation) for the pin. Vaquer was crowned the new Women’s Crown Jewel champion. Afterward, Triple H presented her with the ring and belt; she cut an emotional promo, thanking fans, saying this was proof she belonged. The crowd was firmly behind her.
John Cena def. AJ Styles
This was billed as a special, possibly final chapter between two legends. Styles came out in gear reminiscent of his earlier days (even nods to TNA/Bullet Club were in there). The match was a romantic walk down memory lane: signature counters, homage spots, each avoiding stale overuse of finishers. Cena pulled out counters and finishers — he used a “Skull Crushing Finale” (Miz’s move) and what looked like the Undertaker’s Tombstone piledriver countered into an Attitude Adjustment.
Styles tried to fight back with a rack bomb, a Scorpion Death Drop, even a Styles Clash attempt, but Cena turned it. The finish: Cena locked in a version of STF and got the tap / pin (depending on count convention). Afterward, a heartfelt moment: both men embraced, raising each other’s hands in mutual respect. It felt like a solid tribute to their rivalry and both careers.
Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky def. Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane)
This tag affair had classic storytelling: Asuka & Sane isolated Iyo Sky early, keeping Rhea Ripley from entering, working over the legal woman, tag breaks, quick tags, momentum swings. When Ripley got the hot tag, she delivered heavy offense — shifting momentum. In the finish, Ripley hit “Riptide” on Sane, enabling Sky to finish with an Over the Moonsault for the pin. Simple and functional tag match, did its job of giving the women’s tag division presence.
Seth Rollins def. Cody Rhodes — Men’s Crown Jewel Championship
The main event had lore and heat. Cody Rhodes, the Undisputed WWE Champion, was going for a repeat (he’d held the inaugural Crown Jewel title). Seth Rollins, World Heavyweight Champion, wanted crossover dominance and finally to beat Rhodes in singles. The match was full of back-and-forth: Cross Rhodeses, curb stomps, near falls, and crowd reactions.
What turned it: the Rolex watch that Rhodes had gifted to Rollins earlier. Rollins retrieved the watch, wrapped it in his fist, and struck Rhodes during a referee distraction. That cheap shot allowed him to land a finish (some curb stomps) and score the pinfall. He was handed the Crown Jewel ring and belt by Triple H. Post-match, Rollins cut a promo declaring himself the G.O.A.T., eyes on both brands.
Overall Impressions, Strengths & Weaknesses
What Worked
- Big Upsets & Shock Value — Reed beating Reigns in his country was bold booking. It gets attention.
- Legacy Payoff — Cena vs Styles was respectful and meaningful, not overbooked.
- Storytelling in Matches — The Reigns / Reed match told a family betrayal story (Usos messing up), and the Rhodes / Rollins match had the personal vendetta element.
- International Reach — Holding Crown Jewel in Australia expanded WWE’s global footprint.
- Title Prestige — The Crown Jewel titles (men & women) are being built as special belts, not just another strap.
What Fell Flat / Could’ve Been Better
- The Vaquer-Stratton match was kind of short, lacked depth in places.
- Overreliance on interference and miscommunication moments (Usos screwing up, Rollins using the watch) makes outcomes feel “cheap” rather than earned.
- Some parts of the show felt too tight — little breathing room for matches to develop.
- Perhaps Hogan’s Law: when every match is “big,” some lose impact. A mid-card feud would’ve added contrast.
Most Surprising / Controversial Moments
- The accidental spear by Jey Uso on Reigns was theater, but it forced the story in a direction some fans might find contrived.
- Rollins using the watch was a cheap finish — some will say it cheapens the title change.
- The fans booing the U.S. national anthem (if that indeed happened) during a foreign PPV would be a culture clash and unexpected.
- Vaquer’s sudden rise may feel too fast to some — from not being main event level to holding a major title.
Aftermath & Possible Fallout
- Reed’s push intensifies, he’s now a major heel force. Reigns’ authority over the Bloodline is severely questioned.
- Rollins having defeated Rhodes adds fuel to a possible future rivalry or rematch. Rhodes might feel cheated and demand redemption.
- Vaquer will need challengers on both brands; Stratton could pursue a rematch, or someone else steps up.
- Cena & Styles: if this was a “final” match, now the door opens for Cena’s farewell tour to wrap, and Styles may vanish or take a reduced role.
- The Crown Jewel titles: how WWE handles them going forward will dictate if they become prestigious or just another gimmick.
- Brand tension: crossovers, brand supremacy angles, and the wrestling politics backstage storylines may get heavy usage now.
Final Thoughts
Crown Jewel 2025 succeeded in many respects: it delivered moments you’ll talk about (Reed over Reigns, Rollins new champ), it respected legends, and it shook up the narrative dynamics (Bloodline, cross-brand rivalry). It wasn’t perfect — some finishes felt overbooked, matches short, interference overused.
But as a spectacle, it hit its marks. If WWE builds from here (rather than resting on the shock booking), the fallout could ripple positively through 2026’s storytelling.
If you like, I can also give you grades (match by match) or some alternative “what if” scenarios (if booking had changed). Do you want me to do that next?
