WWE Crown Jewel 2026 is in the books, leaving fans with much to think about regarding where storylines go from here. Two championships changed hands Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Penta and Je'Von Evans winning the World Tag Team Championship from The Vision and Tiffany Stratton winning the WWE Women's Championship after she cashed in her women's Money in the Bank contract against her friend Chelsea Green.
Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes ended their feud, which began before WrestleMania. Rhodes needed to think and act like Orton if he wanted to beat "The Viper" in a Last Man Standing match -- a match Rhodes had never competed in. A change in Rhodes' demeanor could have huge implications on "SmackDown."
In the main event, Undisputed WWE champion Sami Zayn and World heavyweight champion Roman Reigns went to battle over the men's Crown Jewel Championship. Reigns can be a narcissist in dealing with opponents, but Zayn brought the fire to Reigns on the mic in the lead-up and in the ring.
How will Saturday's results impact the road to Survivor Series: War Games?
Are Rhodes' good guy days done?
You can look at the Crown Jewel results and see "Cody Rhodes defeated Randy Orton by Punt Kick," but that discounts the change in Rhodes as the match drew to a close. Instead of letting referee Charles Robinson begin the 10-count after hitting Orton with the Cross Rhodes three times -- which busted Orton open after the third! -- Rhodes pushed Robinson out of the way to hit "The Viper" with his own devastating Punt kick to the head.
As seen by Rhodes' conflicted expression walking up the ramp, "The American Nightmare" needed to go to a dark place to win this feud with Orton, but what comes next?
Rhodes' win makes him a logical No. 1 contender for Sami Zayn's Undisputed WWE Championship, but Kevin Owens has a similar argument after a win this week over CM Punk on "SmackDown." Rhodes has embraced his inner violence to win feuds before -- Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins -- but has not lost himself or his crowd-favorite character in the aftermath.
Potential feuds with Zayn, Owens, Punk and others on "SmackDown" could set up an interesting road to February's Royal Rumble. As I voiced in the pre-Crown Jewel roundtable, I'm not waiting for a heel turn. What I am excited about is Rhodes taking the credibility from the Orton win into a feud with Owens, where he maybe has to win dirty. Maybe a triple-threat Undisputed WWE Championship match at Survivor Series, where Rhodes' own actions cost him the match?
Orton's road is a little clear. Survivor Series is a signature event for "The Viper," and we'll have to see how he factors into that build. Including him in the Team USA vs. Team Mexico match could be a fun way to see him tangle with some of the unique talents in AAA he has not faced off with yet.
The Green-Stratton saga is just beginning
After weeks of belittlement leading up to the women's Crown Jewel Championship match, Liv Morgan dominated most of the contest, having an answer for anything Chelsea Green tried. Green's fighting spirit was enough to keep her in the match and eventually pull out the roll-up win. An elated Green received her new belt and emotionally addressed the cheering crowd.
Green, however, was not ready for what happened next. Tiffany Stratton cashed in her Money in the Bank contract for an immediate title shot, not at Morgan, but at her friend Green. A briefcase smash, a Prettiest Moonsault Ever and a three count were all Stratton needed to win the championship again.
It's clear where the "SmackDown" women's division goes from here: Stratton vs. Green. The biggest question is whether it happens at Survivor Series or at a future premium live event.
Green's storyline has been all about proving she belonged as a champion, despite the injuries and self-doubt. She needs to win the belt back from Stratton to finish her story.
For Morgan, it's likely much of the same again. Her rivalry with Becky Lynch is still there. Will Stephanie Vaquer return for a challenge soon? Anyone challenging for Morgan's championship usually ends up facing a beatdown from The Judgment Day. The Judgment Day themselves have largely been doing the same thing for months. I don't expect anything to change for the time being.
The Reigns loss could elevate Zayn
This was Sami Zayn's chance to demand respect from Roman Reigns as he took the OTC to his limits in a match that featured no interference from The Bloodline or 946.
"I respect you," Reigns said to Zayn as they both reeled on the mat. One huge spear later and Reigns was the 2026 men's Crown Jewel champion.
For Reigns, the OTC has won all of his big matches without the interference that often accompanied his 1,316-day reign from 2020 to 2024. After his assault at the hands of Cruz Montana and 946 on "Raw" last Monday, that's the immediate course for Reigns. The Bloodline vs. 946 feels like the natural main event at Survivor Series: War Games in Houston on Nov. 28.
Though defeated, Zayn returns to an exciting main event scene on "SmackDown" where he will likely be paired with his longtime rival Owens or Rhodes.
I'm eager to see the audience reaction to a Rhodes-Zayn match. These two have history from earlier in the year -- remember Zayn pinned Rhodes at King of the Ring to win his first WWE Championship.