This Sunday, WWE will be holding their Clash of Champions PPV. The one PPV where all 10 (!!!) titles will be defended. The title matches aren’t even all the matches on the card. Anyway, in preparation for the show, here are my predictions for each match on the card.
Drew Gulak (C) vs. Lince Dorado vs. Humberto Carrillo – Cruiserweight Championship
205 Live has been in the news recently for all the wrong reasons. Hopefully, this match will plead their case.
Gulak has been a fine champion, but I believe this match will get slotted on the pre-show again. Despite that, I am expecting a quality outing. WWE remembered Gran Metalik can wrestle and he had a great match with Mysterio. Other Lucha House Party member, Lince Dorado, can do the same thing with Carrillo and Gulak.
I still think it is way too early to take the title off of Gulak, but if one person is going to defeat Gulak, it will be Carrillo. Expect Gulak to come out with the gold still intact.
Winner: Drew Gulak
Seth Rollins (C) and Braun Strowman (C) vs. Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler – RAW Tag Team Championship
Wait a minute. Roode looks a lot like Rick Rude here with the moustache. Robert Roode. Rick Rude. Clever.
This is probably the easiest match on the card to predict. However, I must say that this match is an indictment on RAW’s current tag division. Why give tag team title matches to real teams? Why not give a tag title match for four singles superstars who became tag teams a couple of weeks ago?
I understand WWE is trying to build dissension between Rollins and Strowman. But you do not need to put the tag titles on them to do it. The most depressing part is that this match will not even be about the tag titles. That is merely a secondary prop. The overarching story will be how Rollins and Strowman will fail to get along. It will likely end with Strowman turning on Rollins to gain an advantage for their Universal Title match which will be conveniently scheduled after the tag title match.
They have teased tension between Rollins and Strowman, but I found it weird that RAW went off the air with them chugging beer together. Expect new champions this Sunday.
Winners: Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler
The New Day (C) vs. The Revival – Smackdown Tag Team Championship
The biggest factor of this match will be New Day’s resilience. How will Woods cope with his injury? How will Big E respond to getting attacked? If given enough time, these two should have a hard-fought match. I have loved The Revival being paired with Randy Orton. It has at least given them something productive to do.
The New Day is one of the greatest tag teams ever. However, in this particular run, it hasn’t felt like they have done anything. Then again, the same thing could be said about The Revival. Based on how the storyline has played out, I think The New Day will escape by the skin of their teeth.
Winners: The New Day
Alexa Bliss (C) and Nikki Cross (C) vs. Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville – Women’s Tag Team Championship
There isn’t much meat behind this match. The easiest and laziest way WWE books a title match on PPV is to go with the “Challenger X has pinned Champion Y!” trope. In this case, Fire and Desire (don’t call them that) pinned Bliss and Deville. This practically guarantees Bliss and Cross will retain.
Now, this isn’t always the case. After all, the current Intercontinental Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura, pinned Finn Balor right before he took the Intercontinental Championship from him at Extreme Rules.
However, it is way too soon to take the titles off of Bliss and Cross. It seems that the only way to keep the tag titles on the show these days is to give a title to Bliss. I’ll tell you this much. Having this match is much better than seeing The IIconics sit at home for months on end only to defeat jobbers once in a blue moon to remind us they can’t defeat an actual team.
Expect Bliss and Cross to retain at Clash of Champions.
Winners: Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross
Shinsuke Nakamura (C) vs. The Miz – Intercontinental Championship
I can say that I like Sami Zayn being paired up as Nakamura’s mouthpiece, but I can’t say that I LOVE it. Sami Zayn should really be a guy that puts on consistent, quality matches. But I’ll take Sami managing a wrestler he has history with over jobbing in 2 minute outings.
The Miz is looking to gain his 9th Intercontinental Championship. It is a monumental feat, but he won’t be getting that feat this Sunday. Shin isn’t losing his title after gaining a new manager. At least not so soon. The feud hasn’t been all that interesting, but it is passable as far as IC feuds are concerned. Expect Shinsuke to retain at Clash of Champions.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
AJ Styles (C) vs. Cedric Alexander – United States Championship
Another match that is built off of the challenger pinning the champion before a PPV. The only difference is that this is “Challenger X has pinned Champion Y in a 10 Man Tag Team Match!”
In all seriousness, this could potentially prove to be your match of the night. WWE has done a fabulous job in letting Alexander showcase his true potential lately. We are slowly starting to see some of the same magic he showed in the CWC three years ago.
I’m excited about this matchup, but my biggest concern is that it doesn’t live up to its potential. The last time I can remember AJ having one of those classic performances was against Rollins at MITB. I should have left his feud with Ricochet saying, “WOW!”. Instead, I was often left saying, “That was pretty solid”. Hopefully that changes this Sunday. Maybe if I jinx it, the opposite will happen.
Since Cedric pinned the challenger, you can probably expect AJ to retain at Clash of Champions, especially with The OC lingering.
Winner: AJ Styles
Bayley (C) vs. Charlotte – Smackdown Women’s Championship
This is an interesting matchup. One one side, we have Bayley who’s a heel (?). On the other side, we have Charlotte who’s a heel (?). It isn’t exactly clear who’s the good guy and who’s the bad guy here. Bayley is automatically assumed to be a heel by proxy of her actions last week and aligning with Sasha. However, she’s kept the same happy, smiley music and inflatable tubemen.
Charlotte is a heel because that’s what she usually is. Being the victim of Sasha and Bayley, however, has caused her to become somewhat of a tweener. She isn’t exactly a full-fledged face, but we can’t say she’s a full-fledged heel either. I suppose that’s what she is best as.
This is yet another matchup built off of the challenger pinning the champion. Charlotte pinned Bayley in Monday’s Horsewomen Tag Team match for that all important momentum. This probably means Bayley will be retaining, probably through some nefarious means to stir the pot further.
These two have put on solid matches in the past, and I believe they can recreate some magic this Sunday. Bayley will likely retain at Clash of Champions.
Winner: Bayley
Becky Lynch (C) vs. Sasha Banks – RAW Women’s Championship
Sasha Banks returned with a vengeance and with blue hair. It really makes you wonder why she didn’t return to Smackdown. Anyways, the same intensity that once made Becky Lynch white hot has simmered down a bit. She is still a fabulous worker and a great champion. But I cannot help but feel the winds of change may be blowing.
Out of both women’s title matches, this will likely be the one to have a title change. I do not think Sasha is going to return and talk all that smack just to lose. There’s just a feeling in the pit in my stomach that I have that says Sasha is going to cheat her way to a victory.
These two should have a hard fought back and forth match, and I honestly believe that Sasha will match Bayley to become champions. It makes sense in the context of the story. Bayley and Sasha left WrestleMania defeated and humiliated. Upon Sasha’s return, they will be the ones holding all the gold. I’m claiming it this Sunday.
Winner: Sasha Banks
Kofi Kingston (C) vs. Randy Orton – WWE Championship
I’ve been thinking about this match a lot and I do believe Randy will eventually win the WWE Championship. I just don’t see it happening this Sunday. Of course, I’d like for it to happen since I’m an Orton stan. However, the story makes more sense to have Kofi get a victory.
Summerslam ended in a BS double count out. This means Kofi has yet to prove that he can beat Orton in a WWE Title match. If Kofi loses to Orton this Sunday, he will essentially prove Orton right. If Orton is winning the title, it is far more likely to happen inside Hell in a Cell.
The only thing I would have liked to have seen in this match is for there to be a follow-up from Summerslam. Their match ended in a no contest, so why not add a stipulation this go around to ensure a winner?
I think Kofi fights Orton off at Clash of Champions and their feud continues for another month.
Winner: Kofi Kingston
Roman Reigns vs. Erick Rowan – No Disqualification
The feud is fine, but there have been a lot of unnecessary components. The biggest one was when Bryan showed Roman a fat look-a-like. We already saw from the footage that it was indeed Erick Rowan who did the attack. We saw Buddy Murphy tell Roman this.
So why waste 2-3 weeks for a reveal that was not monumental in any way? Why needlessly add an unnecessary element to a story that is simple?
I believe Roman will eventually be facing Daniel Bryan, but I’m happy they didn’t go with that matchup here. That bout will have to wait for a bigger stage. As for Rowan, he doesn’t do much for me. His talking has been decent, but I believe he’s already reached his peak as a performer. I just see him being more effective as Bryan’s muscle as an independent ginger.
Roman will probably win because the day Rowan beats Roman one on one is when a blizzard approaches in hell. At Clash of Champions, Roman puts the beat down on upside down Sheamus and will come after Bryan next.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Seth Rollins (C) vs. Braun Strowman – Universal Championship
As I previously stated, it is pretty likely Strowman will attempt to get one up on Seth prior to this match. However, I do not think either man will be winning this match. I am claiming that The Fiend will interfere in the match and it will end in a no contest.
First, Seth is definitely not losing the title so soon after overcoming Lesnar. In addition, Strowman pretty much chokes every time there is a major match. Bray coming in and taking out both men is more likely than having a definitive finish to this match. You can build towards the next title match while protecting both men.
I understand that many aren’t fans of having non-finishes in world title matches on PPV. Think about it this way. The two are likely going to transition into their Universal Title match after their tag title match. How long or good are we really expecting this match to be?
This is likely your main event, and I believe the lasting image of Clash of Champions will be that of The Fiend.
Winner: No Contest
