In the 2024 WWE Crown Jewel event, SmackDown’s titleholder Cody Rhodes reportedly pulled off a surprise victory over Raw’s global heavyweight king GUNTHER, securing the First Ever Men’s Crown Jewel Championship title.
The triumph materialized when Rhodes attempted a Super Cody Cutter, which GUNTHER skillfully intercepted, flipping into a sleeper hold. However, Rhodes delivered a counter-reversal, tumbling backward to fasten The Ring General’s shoulders onto the mat.
In an unanticipated display of mutual recognition, GUNTHER showed grace by accepting a handshake, perhaps because the King of the Ring admits that the win was honest and devoid of any gimmicks.
The WWE reiterated that Rhodes is the pioneering member of his lineage to gain a championship (albeit more an honorary rather than a true one) on international soil.
The Crown Jewel spectacle concluded with Triple H, Women’s Crown Jewel Champion Liv Morgan, and representatives from Saudi Arabia jubilant in the ring.
Congratulations to the CROWN JEWEL CHAMPION Cody Rhodes!#WWECrownJewel pic.twitter.com/SM9t01yGjh
— WWE (@WWE) November 2, 2024
Was Cody Rhodes the deserving victor, or do you think GUNTHER should have walked away victorious? We’d love to hear your insights—drop them in the comments section below!