Andreas Hale, the ESPN reviewer who caught serious heat for giving WrestlePalooza a C, is back with his take on WWE Crown Jewel 2025 — and this time, he’s giving the show some serious credit.
According to Hale, the event got off to a slow start but rallied thanks to standout performances and storytelling that stuck the landing. He handed WWE Crown Jewel an overall B grade, with one match standing tall above the rest.
“A show that stumbled out of the gates with a relatively tame street fight and a far too brief affair between women’s champions was rescued by an absolutely stellar match between Cena and Styles that put an excellent bookend to their rivalry. Rollins finally getting his comeuppance against Rhodes — by any means necessary — and the women’s tag match were both strong and anchored a memorable bounce back for WWE after a middling Wrestlepalooza.”
Hale gave John Cena vs. AJ Styles an A grade, calling it the clear standout of the night.
“A love letter to wrestling.”
He said it was the perfect way to end one of WWE’s most iconic rivalries. The women’s tag match between Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY vs. Asuka & Kairi Sane earned a B grade, with Hale calling it a fun and fast-paced bout that brought serious energy.
Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins also landed a B, with Hale praising the story being told, even if it wasn’t the duo’s most electric outing. He noted it “confirmed Rollins as WWE’s top heel.”
Things weren’t all glowing, though. Hale graded Roman Reigns vs. Bronson Reed’s Australian Street Fight a C, calling it average and formulaic. The lowest-rated match of the night went to Tiffany Stratton vs. Stephanie Vaquer, which he labeled as rushed and disappointing.
“Both women deserved more time to deliver something better.”
That match received a C-, making it the weakest on the card in Hale’s eyes. Coming off the backlash he got for panning WrestlePalooza, it’s clear Hale felt Crown Jewel was a step forward. Whether fans agree with him this time is another story.
Do you think WWE Crown Jewel deserved the grade it got from ESPN? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
