Bully Ray On The 'Right Way' To Book LA Knight & Roman Reigns At WWE Crown Jewel 2023

The sight of a bloody Steve Austin passing out to the Sharpshooter from Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13 is the classic case of a wrestler benefiting from a loss. Bully Ray has urged WWE to execute a similar finish in the main event of Crown Jewel, where the red-hot LA Knight challenges Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Previewing the match on "Busted Open Radio," Ray stressed that WWE must make Knight look resilient even in his inevitable defeat.

"I'm not suggesting that he pass out to a sharpshooter or any other hold," Ray clarified. "The comparison is, look at what WrestleMania 13 did for Stone Cold Steve Austin — even though he lost. The same thing can happen for LA Knight here if they have big plans for LA Knight." Ray pointed to Reigns typically requiring assistance from fellow Bloodline members to retain his title over the past three years, suggesting that fans will sympathize with Knight if a similar fate befalls him. "If you screw LA Knight the right way, fans will love him more. That's the art form," he added. 

Ray admitted that his anticipation for the Crown Jewel main event only heightened following the contract signing segment on last week's "WWE SmackDown," where Knight referenced the infamous "Suffering Succotash" promo to diss Reigns. Ray believes the segment was an indicator of the WWE machine jumping on the Knight bandwagon. "It was the best promo he cut," Ray said of Knight. "That was the next level of confidence from LA Knight. I didn't hear or see him thinking, he knew what he wanted to say, and he went out there and delivered his lines. He wasn't afraid to take a shot at Roman. I have high, high hopes for LA Knight." Although Ray is convinced that Knight "will lose" at Crown Jewel, he is optimistic that the leader of the "Yeah Movement" will take "steps forward" and get more over with the WWE Universe.