Following WWE Crown Jewel in 2019, a large portion of the WWE roster was delayed in getting home from Saudi Arabia. More than 200 WWE personnel were left stranded on an airplane for several hours with the delay credited to a mechanical fault. However, the less than clear situation led to a number of conspiracy theories, including claims that then-Chairman Vince McMahon was involved in a dispute over pay.
Drew McIntyre previously stated that it is was a “bit scary” for everyone involved, and Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer has been quoted as saying the wrestlers were “held hostage.”
Because so much of the roster wasn’t able to make it back to the United States in time to perform on WWE SmackDown, the company drafted in a number of performers from WWE NXT in an invasion that would lead to NXT involvement at WWE Survivor Series. The main event of the show featured NXT Champion Adam Cole going one on one with Bryan Danielson (then known as Daniel Bryan) in a bout that Road Dogg thinks gets too much praise.
Road Dogg Thinks Dave Meltzer Has Too Much Praise For Adam Cole Vs. Daniel Bryan Bout
Speaking on his Oh… You Didn’t Know podcast, Road Dogg spoke about the main event of the November 1st episode of WWE SmackDown, saying that while the bout was great, he doesn’t believe it’s one of the best in WWE history.
“The show was great. And I look I disagree with him [Meltzer] saying it was the best main event. I do agree it was awesome, and it was different and it was very New Japan. But that’s not what our audiences is preconditioned to. And so I would argue that some of the main events that year and the period right around there were really good. This was just The Observer’s brand. You know what I mean?
“This was Daniel Bryan working with the American Dragon or whatever, Daniel Bryan and Adam Cole. And so look, it was a very New Japan or Ring of Honor kind of match, and it was awesome to watch and it was different. But I disagree that it was like the best main event in the history of the business. Like I think it was great. I do and I think the both guys are great. I’ve seen both guys have great matches. This was one of them. You know what I mean?”
Road Dogg went on to explain his belief that the excitement behind the NXT invasion might inflate the praise people have for the match as it was a different style. However, Road Dogg also admits that his tastes may not be the same as Dave Meltzer’s as he enjoys things like the much-maligned Punjabi Prison Match.
“Like I think what they loved about it was oh my god, WWE is dipping their toe into the style of, of everyone else, and that’s cool. That is a very cool thing, and that’s it. It’s very understandable like that, but don’t give it that credit, you know what I mean? Like, I don’t know, I feel like I’m dogging it now. And I don’t mean to because the match was that incredible.
“It was just like, it was a different style, man. It was a different different kind of match. You know, I love the Punjabi Prison Match, so what do I know? Santino Marella is my favorite wrestler, so what do I know?”
If you use any quotes from this transcription, please credit Oh You Didn’t Know and link back to this article with a h/t to Inside the Ropes.