c/o WWE

I know what you’re thinking: ughhhhh, Oluchi has another wrestling article. Next! Boooooo, get off the stage! Unfortunately, you readers are going to have to deal with what I know: professional wrestling. Saturday was Crown Jewel, a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) pay-per-view based in Saudi Arabia, and let me tell you, this event was nothing short of a surprise. So, without further ado, let’s get into what I do best: talking about my feelings (just kidding). Talking about my reactions to certain WWE matches. 

First off, let us review the match that involved Logan Paul winning the U.S. championship from Rey Mysterio. As much as I cannot understand why WWE involved Paul in the first place (I know that Logan Paul has a big social media presence), I cannot deny his ability to truly emulate the intricacies of classic WWE moves such as the frog splash while combining his boxing style (ha!). What I heavily disagree with is WWE’s decision to make him immediately win the title following the reign of Mysterio. Paul just returned from a short hiatus and instead of just building up to Paul winning at another sacred pay-per-view, he instantly took control of the U.S. title in a way that is considered to be cheating, I might add, by secretly using brass knuckles to secure the win. Despite my feelings on this, I truly do believe that Paul earned his right to be considered a veritable wrestler and that his praise is well-deserved, not only in his wrestling skills but also in the way he interacts with other wrestlers. As this match with Mysterio showed, he tries to avoid injuring his opponents.

Ok, now let’s get to what I have been waiting for: the return of Kairi Sane. Once a member of the Kabuki Warriors with fellow high-flier Asuka, Sane returned to Crown Jewel to assist Iyo Sky in retaining her championship. Let me tell you, I am so excited. And I just can’t hide it. Sane has been out of action since December 2021 which was branded as an injury caused by fellow wrestler, Bayley, but in actuality was just a cover-up for her focus on professional wrestling in Japan. For me, Sane’s return was the highlight of Crown Jewel. Not to mention, there are talks about a faction formed by her, Asuka, and current women’s champion Sky.

Before ending this article it is important I talk about the reign of Iyo Sky, aptly nicknamed the “Genius of the Sky.” One of the only complaints I have is that she rarely shows us her talent without the likes of Damage CTRL (a faction composed of her, Bayley, and Dakota Kai) interfering. If Sky is complemented by the likes of Sane and Asuka, wrestlers whom she has trained with for years and whose styles reflect her magnificence, her championship reign will be more prominent and attainable for viewers to grasp. I am happy that the WWE’s creative team understands that Sky is not one to be taken lightly and hopefully with the return of Sane and the inclusion of Asuka, she will not only be majestic, but unstoppable. 

Well, unfortunately, my time has come to an end with this article. With that in mind, I want to add a little food for thought for those reading or for those who happen to be in the small minority on campus who actually watch professional wrestling (shoutout to Celeste!) and say that while WWE has been up and down in its storylines for the past couple of years, just understanding that there was a place for up and coming wrestlers such as Paul and Sky to get their recognition is enough for me to have hope for the rest of the division and the more talent to come. With that being said, it never hurts to sit down and tune into why they call Sky the “Genius of the Sky” and why Paul is making his way to becoming a truly decorated wrestler. 

Oluchi Chukwuemeka can be reached at ochukwuemeka@wesleyan.edu.