Bully Ray's Theory On Why Daniel Bryan Might Be Wrestling AJ Styles At WWE Crown Jewel
WWE made its first venture into Saudi Arabia with the Greatest Royal Rumble in April. They will return on Nov. 2 for Crown Jewel with a sure-to-be stacked card that will feature A.J. Styles defending the WWE Championship against Daniel Bryan.
Bully Ray discussed the possible reasoning behind Styles facing Bryan instead of The Miz, and speculated that the Saudi Prince could have influenced Vince McMahon to make this match for this event.
"Remember when Rusev was supposed to wrestle The Undertaker [at Greatest Royal Rumble] and then Rusev got taken out of the match? Then it was going to be Jericho vs. Undertaker, and then Rusev was back in the match. You know why that happened? Because the Prince wanted Rusev in the match," Bully Ray said on Busted Open Radio.
"He was adamant, he was a Rusev fan. He said, 'no I want Rusev vs. Undertaker.' So, maybe he wants AJ vs. Daniel Bryan. When you're dealing with a bought show in wrestling, you're purchasing the show."
WWE reportedly is set to earn $450 million from their 10-year contract to put on events with the Saudi Sports Authority. While Vince McMahon undoubtedly loves WrestleMania, he may love money even more and he set this match for Crown Jewel to appease those giving him this money.
"Hypothetically, [the Prince] said 'This is the match I want' and Vince is going to accommodate him because it's an ungodly amount of money," stated Bully Ray. "So you give them the show that they want to see, you wrap it around a network special and you turn it into something. And that's what it really is."
Styles and Bryan have wrestled just once before in WWE and it came in Bryan's first singles match following clearance earlier this year. Bryan won by disqualification on the April 10th episode of SmackDown after Shinsuke Nakamura attacked him first, and then attacked Styles to prolong their feud.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Busted Open Radio with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
"Hypothetically, this guy said 'This is the match I want' and Vince is going to accommodate it because it's an ungodly amount of money." @bullyray5150 & @davidlagreca1 discuss AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan at #WWECrownJewel pic.twitter.com/GWUMJuzJhD
— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) October 8, 2018