Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins Set the Stage for Crown Jewel Showdown – The September 22 edition of WWE RAW opened with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes addressing the audience. Rhodes brought out the championship ring he earned at last year’s Crown Jewel and stated his intention to win another, setting the tone for the upcoming premium live event. His remarks drew out World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, who arrived with Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Paul Heyman. While the trio remained outside the ring, Rollins stepped inside to confront Rhodes.
Rollins referenced their shared moment at SummerSlam when both men left as champions, saying he had been anticipating a match with Rhodes since that night. He told Rhodes that their clash would not simply be a case of “may the best man win,” before addressing the perception fans and wrestlers have of him. As the crowd chanted for CM Punk, Rollins dismissed Punk’s relevance, stressing that Punk was not a champion. He then challenged Rhodes to reveal his true opinion of him.
Rhodes responded by crediting Rollins for shaping key moments in his career. He praised Rollins for facing him at WrestleMania without knowing what to expect, acknowledged his own resilience during their Hell in a Cell match, and admitted that Rollins helped validate the Rhodes family legacy when he captured the Undisputed WWE Title. However, Rhodes criticized Rollins for occasionally relying on outside interference and asked what Rollins truly wanted.
Rollins shifted focus to a watch Rhodes gifted him at WrestleMania 40, accusing Rhodes of presenting public support while privately undermining him by calling himself “QB1,” a claim of superiority. Declaring himself “The Vision,” Rollins vowed to prove at Crown Jewel that he is the dominant force in WWE, not part of a two-man show.
Rhodes closed by reminding Rollins that all three of their previous matches were one-on-one encounters—and that he won each of them. He then left the ring, briefly confronted by Breakker and Reed, who allowed him to pass without incident.
Crown Jewel takes place on October 11, 2025, at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Confirmed matches include Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins for the WWE Crown Jewel Championship and Stephanie Vaquer vs. Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship.
Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins Set the Stage for Crown Jewel Showdown
