The ongoing story between Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre over the WWE World Heavyweight yitle added another quality wrinkle on Saturday, with the champion retaining in a hard-fought opening bout at the Crown Jewel premium live event in Saudi Arabia.

After emerging victorious in multi-match feuds against Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura over the summer, Rollins faced his toughest task yet as the face of Monday nights, taking on an increasingly-frustrated Scotsman who was more than up to the task. McIntyre had all the support from the fans in Riyadh, whose reactions were mixed throughout the night but who showed their admiration for the two-time world champion, urging him towards a potential third trip to the mountaintop of WWE.

The two seasoned pros put in a brilliant performance, trading big offense throughout their 18-minute clash, with Rollins kicking out of a Claymore Kick and continuing to show the resilient nature that has defined his championship tenure. After dodging a second finisher from McIntyre, the champion would nail a Pedigree and a stomp to secure a three-count, leaving his opponent visibly deterred as he exited the ring and walked up the stage. This appears to be the first of a series of duels between the veteran WWE stars, but there could be plenty of twists and turns — especially given what happened post-match.

After the defeated challenger walked away and left his adversary alone in the ring, Damian Priest would attempt to cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase but was thwarted by Sami Zayn, allowing Rollins to escape with the gold, before cameras spotted a tense moment between McIntyre and Rhea Ripley, further teasing a potential switch to the dark side.

At this stage, there are major question marks over McIntyre’s allegiance. Will he join forces The Judgement Day? Will he remain a lone wolf, riding the line between heel and babyface? Or, most likely, will he finally snap after years of pent-up anger? Only time will tell, but it’s making for intriguing television each week on “WWE Raw” and sometimes, that’s all you can ask for.