(Photo credit: Manaf228 at English Wikipedia)
For the first time, WWE is headed to King Abdullah International Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for one of their biggest international events ever, Greatest Royal Rumble. While initially it appeared this would just be a big event for those in Saudi Arabia, WWE has announced that it will be on the WWE Network and will have seven championship on the line on top of the huge 50-Man Greatest Royal Rumble and appearances by The Undertaker, John Cena, and Triple H.
As a quick aside, the unfortunate news is that WWE’s female superstars cannot compete due to strict social rules in Saudi Arabia. After WWE’s success in having the women compete in the United Arab Emirates, it’s disappointing that a similar breakthrough can’t be had here. Despite this disappointment, the show itself looks to be something quite special.
When and how to watch
When: The event will take place on Friday, April 27th. It will start at 12 PM Eastern Time, 9 AM Pacific Time, and 5 PM British Time. In Australia, it will technically start on Saturday, April 28th at 3 AM Australian Eastern Daylight Time. The Kickoff Show will start one hour prior to the main start time, so 11 AM Eastern Time, etc. The main show is scheduled to last approximately three hours and may be followed by a fallout show on the WWE Network.
Where: Greatest Royal Rumble will be available to watch on the WWE Network, which can be viewed through most media devices. The WWE Network is only $10 a month and new subscribers can sign up for a free trial that will allow you to enjoy Greatest Royal Rumble. Sky Sports Box Office has announced that it will be available live through their service as well. There is also reporting confirming the event will be available through Main Event in Australia. WWE has not confirmed any other viewing options as of this date.
Kickoff Show: While Greatest Royal Rumble will primarily be available on the WWE Network, the Kickoff will also have a free stream on WWE.com, the WWE App, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest.
Confirmed matches
Universal Championship Steel Cage Match: Brock Lesnar (c) vs Roman Reigns
Whether you’re happy about WrestleMania or not, this match is a direct result of how that show ended. Roman will get what is conceivably his final shot at Lesnar, and this time it’s in a steel cage. Expect sheer brutality, and the potential coronation of Roman Reigns in front of a receptive Saudi Arabian audience.
WWE Championship Triple Threat Match: AJ Styles (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura
After their "dream match" at WrestleMania, Shinsuke Nakamura shocked the world when he hit AJ Styles with a sudden low blow. In many ways, this will be the dream match becoming a nightmare as the current WWE Champion goes up against a completely different Shinsuke Nakamura. The King of Strong Style seems more manipulative and ruthless than ever, and that could spell the end of AJ's championship reign.
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Seth Rollins (c) vs Finn Balor vs The Miz vs Samoa Joe
So far this match looks to be the one that will steal the show and the bait that will pull in hardcore fans. All four of these competitors are top notch, and three of them already proved themselves capable of an instant classic at WrestleMania 34. With the fact that it’s now a ladder match combined with the addition of Samoa Joe (who could also try to take the title with him to SmackDown Live), this is an instant classic in the making.
United States Championship Match: Jeff Hardy (c) vs Jinder Mahal
Thankfully, we're not getting a repeat of the Jinder Mahal vs Randy Orton feud that stunk up 2017. Instead, the newly crowned champion Jeff Hardy will face Jinder Mahal as Raw's Modern Day Maharajah looks to reclaim the title he lost only minutes after being moved to Monday Night Raw.
SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match: The Bludgeon Brothers (c) vs The Usos
After defeating The New Day on the SmackDown Live after WrestleMania, The Usos have a shot at getting back the titles that The Bludgeon Brothers took from them at WWE’s show of shows. With The New Day no longer complicating things, The Usos will attempt to topple the dominant Bludgeon Brothers to become tag team champions for the sixth time.
Raw Tag Team Championship Match: “Woken” Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt vs Sheamus & Cesaro
The recently formed duo known as The Deleter of Worlds tore through the competition in the Raw Tag Team Eliminator and have already exhibited surprising chemistry for such a new team. Meanwhile, Sheamus & Cesaro have already decided the competition on SmackDown Live isn't at their level, and recapturing their titles would move them right back to Monday Night Raw.
Cruiserweight Championship Match: Cedric Alexander (c) vs Kalisto
After a grueling Gauntlet Match on 205 Live, it was Kalisto who emerged victorious after last defeating Drew Gulak to earn a shot at Cedric Alexander at Greatest Royal Rumble. Kalisto looks to regain a title he once held, but will the Lucha House Party be at ringside helping him? Either way, expect a fast-paced energetic match from these two, and one that could steal the show even on this stacked card.
John Cena vs Triple H
One of the night’s special attraction matches pits John Cena against Triple H in a throwback to their main event clash at WrestleMania 22. While we’ve seen them both compete recently, it’s been some time since they went up against each other. Without much of a story or significant consequences, it’ll be interesting to see what these two future Hall of Famers put together at this event.
Casket Match: The Undertaker vs Rusev
Despite this match initially being canceled and Rusev being replaced by Chris Jericho, allegedly due to Lana being worried about Rusev competing in such a match, The Ravishing Russian has changed her tune and the match is back on. It's an odd situation so far, to say the least, but that won't stop this from being an interesting collision between a true legend and the man for which Rusev Day was named.
50-Man Greatest Royal Rumble
The namesake of this event is the massive 50-Man Greatest Royal Rumble. While winning the usual Royal Rumble match each year comes with the reward of a title shot at WrestleMania, this one has yet to be given similar stakes. However, the match will be fun to watch just for the sheer spectacle of it. Below are the competitors WWE has already announced, including returns of Jericho, Mysterio, Khali, and even recent Hall of Famer Mark Henry.
Confirmed participants (25 spots unannounced so far): Daniel Bryan, Big Show, Kane, Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Kurt Angle, Apollo, Titus O’Neil, Elias, Goldust, Baron Corbin, Big E, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, Shelton Benjamin, Chad Gable, Sin Cara, Mojo Rawley, Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, Bobby Roode, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Shane McMahon, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, The Great Khali, Mark Henry
Are you planning to watch Greatest Royal Rumble live on the WWE Network? Let us know in the comments below!
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