WWE is set to make their second trip to Saudi Arabia in 2024 for Crown Jewel, set to take place on Saturday, November 2, at the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh. What makes this event stand out is that the two headline matches are not for WWE championships, offering a fresh twist to the card. Champions from both brands will battle for Crown Jewel Championship Titles, and this week saw Cody Rhodes and GUNTHER have a face-to-face.
GUNTHER and Cody Rhodes have been throwing shade at each other since their Crown Jewel match was confirmed. The October 25 WWE SmackDown saw them share the same space as they had a chance to get a few things off their chests.
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER faced off in the ring, with tensions high between the two. GUNTHER kicked things off by accusing Cody of dramatizing everything more than necessary, claiming that while Cody seeks theatrics, he himself is the best professional wrestler in the company. GUNTHER made it clear that his desire to win was rooted in a personal need to live up to his own expectations. He then questioned Cody's motives, wondering aloud what Cody truly wanted out of all this.
Cody was unimpressed, and he called it the stupidest question he had ever been asked. He responded that what he really wanted was to be there for his fans, emphasizing that his supporters take pride in being dramatic. Cody then shifted gears, questioning GUNTHER's commitment by asking where he had been the day before, pointing out that while Cody was in Las Vegas handling media obligations, GUNTHER couldn't even get out of bed. Cody implied that GUNTHER was neglecting an important part of the job -- responsibility.
GUNTHER fired back, asserting that he knew responsibility better than anyone. He declared himself the workhorse of the company, someone who faces the same requests as Cody but has the courage to say no. According to GUNTHER, Cody has to say yes to everything, because the moment he says no, his entire story comes to an end.
The verbal sparring escalated until Cody struck GUNTHER. At that moment, Ludwig Kaiser attacked, and the duo began to beat down Cody. Just as things looked grim, Randy Orton made a timely save, evening the odds and forcing GUNTHER and Ludwig to retreat.
We will have to see how things play out at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia. Those two obviously have a lot to prove, and they also want to be the first man to claim that brand-new title in WWE.