The Gunther vs. Finn Balor match, which was part of WWE’s original plans for Crown Jewel, has been pulled from Saturday’s PLE in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said WWE’s internal lineup for the show had five matches, including Gunther vs. Balor. But WWE only announced four matches, and Gunther vs. Balor wasn’t one of them.
“I mean, I can say Gunther and Finn Balor was on the five match lineup,” Meltzer said.
So Crown Jewel will have one fewer match than the 2025 show in Perth, Australia.
Before the show was moved from Riyadh Season Stadium to The Venue, posters featuring Gunther next to Balor were put up at the stadium.
Gunther and Balor have been feuding since SummerSlam, but they have only faced each other in multi-man matches on TV so far. On the October 30 SmackDown, Danhausen revealed the return of The Demon Finn Balor, who attacked Gunther with a Coup de Grace off a ladder and through the announce table. It was the first time Balor appeared as The Demon since WrestleMania 42.
Friday’s SmackDown, the final episode before Crown Jewel, was taped on Monday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Gunther opened the show by challenging Balor, who appeared without the Demon paint. The two brawled, and Balor got the upper hand, but no match was announced for Riyadh.
In December 2024, a similar situation led WWE to turn a singles match between the two for the World Heavyweight Championship into a triple threat match with Damian Priest at Saturday Night’s Main Event. That night, Gunther pinned Balor to retain the title.
The show starts at 12 p.m. ET and will stream on ESPN Unlimited in the United States.