If you’re thinking that WWE just had a PPV and that it couldn’t possibly be time for another one already, welcome to the new reality. The company seems intent on going through with plans of multiple live specials a month. But you love wrestling, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this.
Clash of Champions on Sunday is being billed as the first Raw-only PPV since the brand split a few months ago. The red show doesn’t boast some of the company’s biggest names like John Cena or Randy Orton, so the card is at least somewhat fresh, thus hopefully more unpredictable.
The show is early Monday morning at 4am for UAE viewers and will be available on demand on the WWE Network any time after it starts. Let’s predict this thing.
Kevin Owens (champion) v Seth Rollins
Universal Championship
Finn Balor’s injury immediately after beating Rollins at Summerslam threw a wrench into the company’s plans for this new title. Balor had to vacate it while recuperating, and a week later on Raw, Owens won it in a genuine and welcome surprise.
Triple H got involved to help Owens win (or Rollins and Roman Reigns lose, really) and hasn’t been seen on TV since. Expect him to show up and cost Rollins this match to start a feud between the two that’s been a long time coming.
The more interesting angle is who they will pair with Owens next. Hopefully he will get a long run with the title while Balor is out.
Charlotte (champion) v Sasha Banks v Bayley
Raw Women’s Championship
Charlotte and Banks had a great match at Summerslam that saw the former taking the title back from the latter. Banks gets her rematch here, and Bayley is thrown in for good measure to make it a Triple Threat. It is too soon for the recent NXT call-up Bayley to win the title, as they’re likely saving that moment for a bigger stage. This is a tough one to predict, but Charlotte has some great heel heat going and can keep that going on by retaining. She wins with outside help from Dana Brooke.
Rusev (champion) v Roman Reigns
United States Championship
We were robbed of this same match-up at Summerslam when Reigns attacked Rusev before the match could ever start. It’s been a series of similar assaults to one another since. Rusev is much more valuable with the title than Reigns would be, but Reigns is still the chosen one in the eyes of top WWE management, and will probably win to give him something to keep him away from the WWE Universal title scene for now.
The New Day (champions) v Gallows and Anderson
Raw Tag Team Championship
The New Day desperately need a new direction. Losing the titles for the first time in 13 months would ironically be a fresh start for them. Gallows and Anderson as heel champions would be worthy successors.
TJ Perkins (champion) v Brian Kendrick
Cruiserweight Championship
You’re forgiven if you didn’t spare even more wrestling-watching time for the Cruiserweight Challenge on the WWE Network the past couple months. What little I caught was fantastic, and this new title’s addition to the fold is one of the company’s best ideas in a while. It was a questionable decision to design the belt to look like a Nintendo GameCube, but this will be a fun match between two fantastic athletes. Perkins should win clean and keep the title for a little while.
Sami Zayn v Chris Jericho
Jericho can win and still make Zayn look really strong in the process. This match should steal the show and your heart.
Cesaro v Sheamus
Last of a best-of-7 series
This interminable feud finally gets its finale. Sheamus won the first three and Cesaro the last three, so look for the comeback tale to hit its inevitable crescendo with a final Cesaro win.
Alicia Fox v Nia Jax
This is also a match that is happening. They are building up Nia Jax with a number of squash wins and there is no reason to expect anything but another victory for her.
kjeffers@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
