WWE Rewind: Natalya and Lacey Evans Make History at WWE Crown Jewel 2019; Bray Wyatt Wins Universal Championship

Let's have a little Halloween 'Throwback Thursday' here on The Takedown on SI.

It was five years ago today that Natalya and Lacey Evans made history by wrestling the first ever women's match in Saudi Arabia.

WWE has faced heavy backlash over the years for its on-going business relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a monarchy with a human rights record that includes - but is not limited to - a suppression of women's and LGBTQ rights and liberties.

The criticism of WWE was heaviest during the early years of this lucrative partnership, when the company's female Superstars were not permitted to perform on any shows that took place in Saudi Arabia.

Former WWE and current AEW correspondent Renee Paquette made her own history at Crown Jewel 2018, when she was assigned to do commentary for the show. Nearly a year later, women would be allowed to step inside the ring for the first time with Natalya and Lacey Evans earning the honor.

It was a match that Nattie had been campaigning to be a participant in the months leading up to Crown Jewel 2019, telling a budding young pro wrestling journalist in May of that year that she wanted the honor of doing something special for the women of Saudi Arabia.

"One day I want to be one of the women to do that," Natalya told me in an interview for Cincinnati's ESPN1530. "For me I just think it would just be so historical for women to make those positive steps over there. I think it’d be a huge step for WWE and huge step for that country."

It was a big first step into a much larger integration of women's wrestling in Saudi Arabia. Ten female Superstars will be competing at Crown Jewel this weekend, including Nia Jax and Liv Morgan, who will be fighting for an all new Crown Jewel branded Women's Championship.

I can’t believe five years have passed since I got to be a part of the first ever women’s match in Saudi Arabia. This was such a transcending moment for not only women in sports, but for women around the world to have more opportunities and visibility. We opened a door that had… pic.twitter.com/6m0WiuQX8C
— Nattie (@NatbyNature) October 31, 2024

A prospect that was truly unfathomable just years ago.

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Crown Jewel 2019 was the same show where Cain Velasquez wrestled in his first, and only, televised match with WWE. The former UFC Heavyweight Champion was introduced as a credible challenger to Brock Lesnar's WWE Championship, having defeated Lesnar nine years earlier at UFC 121. The Beast would go on to squash his old rival in a match that lasted barely over two minutes.

While the opening contest failed to live up to expectations, the same could not be said for the main event. The late great Bray Wyatt would capture the WWE Universal Championship by defeating Seth Rollins in a Falls Count Anywhere Match.

It was an attempt to make up for the utterly disastrous booking decision of having their Hell in a Cell match three weeks prior end in a no contest. A stipulation was put in place that the match could not be stopped for any reason.

Shortly after Wyatt survived an electrocution attempt, he would lock Rollins in the Mandible Claw and render him unconscious for the decisive three-count. It was Wyatt's second of three World Title victories during his WWE career.

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