WWE Crown Jewel: Making The Case For The First PLE In Africa

On November 2 WWE will air the sixth Crown Jewel event emanating from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With all of the valid issues and questions that have continued in the years since WWE agreed to its controversial deal with the Kingdom, this writer feels like there is a less problematic future for the event if and when the opportunity arises.

Speaking from a realistic stance there is certainly no fiscal nor significant enough of a legal reason for WWE to end its arrangement. But what is wrestling without hope, a little bit of brainstorming, and potentially vain attempts at manifesting?

The point is, that WWE is expanding its international schedule, confirmed by both recent patterns and Paul Levesque's own words during the Money in the Bank Post Show. Amongst the destinations that WWE has been to and the events they're talking about going to, no love appears to be shown for the Mother Continent.

Furthermore, WWE has only held live events in South Africa and Egypt with the last time being in 2018. However, they did run a try-out in Nigeria in 2023. It was something that Francis N'Gannou campaigned for while UFC Heavyweight Champion, the only continent yet to host an event for the MMA promotion.

It didn't happen, with N'Gannou making further progress with PFL. But there has been recent movement on that matter, with reports of a "seminal event" on the promotion's first trip to Africa, expected to be Senegal at this time. There it is, through WWE's seminal relationship with UFC as its sister company starting last year, a chance that there might be something in the pipeline.

If it were to happen, then there will naturally need to be an apt headline for the card. Some international events, Clash at the Castle in the UK for example, were designed specifically for an international destination. Others, take Backlash in Puerto Rico, were recycled staple PLE events themed around their respective hosts.

That's where the idea occurred for Crown Jewel, a WrestleMania-level event in build marred by the shadow of its host, to be repurposed into a large-scale event which could fit a host nation like Senegal, South Africa, or Nigeria. Green and gold, colors which are described as representing the land and optimistic prospects of the continent. It might not be something that's being considered currently, but the takeaway from this should be for it to be under consideration.

It doesn't have to happen the way stated in this article, but there really should be an attempt from WWE to run earnest international events with groundswells of support that otherwise do not receive access to the product they enjoy. It's been seen with Soft Ground Wrestling that there is a thriving passion for professional wrestling in the Mother Continent, and that's what drives the sport forward.