WWE Clash Of Champions 2020 Preview And Predictions
This Sunday, September 27, 2020 at 7:00 PM ET (Kickoff Show at 6:00 PM ET), WWE presents its 4th annual Clash Of Champions event. Every championship title (The 24/7 Championship does not have an advertised match, but it's safe to assume it will make an appearance) will be on the line at this event. There are nine advertised matches on the card with a ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship and an Ambulance Match for Drew McIntyre's WWE Championship to add some variety to the event.
Below is a preview of each match on the card and predictions based on recent booking. In the comments, please share which matches you're excited for or how you feel about so many matches on this show being rematches in spite of WWE having the largest roster of wrestling talent in the world.
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP (AMBULANCE MATCH)
Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Randy Orton
Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton tore the house down with their title match at SummerSlam and now they meet again in an ambulance match. WWE has been booking Keith Lee to face Orton & McIntyre to keep the two from facing one another too much to overexpose the feud but Orton literally punted Keith Lee out of the way and now McIntyre and Orton can finally clash. Orton's punt was his greatest weapon leading up to the match at SummerSlam and his reliance on the punt instead of the RKO ended up leading to his undoing. Orton put McIntyre down with an RKO on RAW this past week, suggesting he remembered that his best move is the RKO and he'll be using that to defeat McIntyre at Clash Of Champions. With the WWE Draft planned for October, the outcome of this match is completely up in the air. These two Superstars have proven they can have a great wrestling match and now they'll prove that they can have a hell of a street fight. McIntyre should hang on to the title for a bit longer. It would feel like a waste to have him drop the title before he could ever defend it in front of a live audience.
WINNER
Drew McIntyre via Ambulance
WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Roman Reigns (c) with Paul Heyman vs. Jey Uso
We all know that there is no way that Jey Uso wins this match, but if you're not excited to see Jey Uso get his first championship opportunity against his cousin, you don't have a pulse. Jey has been one half of the most consistently excellent tag team in WWE for the past decade. The chemistry between these two will be off the charts and hopefully will start the build to Roman vs. The Rock at WrestleMania 37. The video packages featuring the Anoa'i family members have been some of the best that WWE has put out in quite some time. Unfortunately for Jey, Roman will not only defeat Jey, he will decimate Jey so badly that it will be absolutely clear that Roman Reigns is not the same man that we knew before COVID. It will likely look something like the beatdown Brock Lesnar put on Randy Orton after their SummerSlam match in 2016.
WINNER
Roman Reigns via pinfall
WWE SMACKDOWN WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Bayley (c) vs. Nikki Cross
Nikki Cross earned the opportunity to finally get her rematch from the Horror Show At Extreme Rules this past summer by rolling up Tamina in a four-way match to become the #1 contender for the SmackDown Women's Championship. Bayley has been wrapped up in a feud with her former best friend, Sasha Banks, making Cross feel like an afterthought/placeholder until Banks and Bayley can finally clash. This is incredibly unfortunate for Cross, who has added more depth to her persona throughout the summer with her increased TV time while still delivering quality matches. WWE has had so many disqualifications and non-finishes recently. Hopefully we can get a decisive win here before Sasha Banks attempts to get revenge on Bayley.
WINNER
Bayley via pinfall
WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP (LADDER MATCH)
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn (c)*
Sami Zayn will finally get the opportunity to win back the Intercontinental Championship that he never lost nor vacated willingly in what could potentially be the greatest ladder match of all time. Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles are clear first-ballot hall of farmers and Sami Zayn is carving out quite a legacy for himself as well. This match favors the opportunistic Zayn and hopefully will give us a Jeff Hardy vs. Sami Zayn feud in the aftermath. Although nobody would complain seeing AJ Styles and Sami Zayn in a program as well. With Zayn picking up the pin on Hardy on last night's SmackDown, look for Hardy to get the win here and begin a program with Zayn. AJ's a man without a program after this, but there are plenty of enticing options for one of the greatest in-ring competitors of all time and Styles doesn't look like he's slowing down yet.
WINNER
Jeff Hardy
WWE US CHAMPIONSHIP
Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Apollo Crews
This rematch from Payback 2020 has lost its focus with RETRIBUTION's feud with The Hurt Business taking the spotlight away from Crews and Lashley. RETRIBUTION has signed WWE contracts for inexplicable reasons in a scenario that is one of the most baffling in wrestling history. There likely will be some RETRIBUTION interference that results in a no-decision that once again does a disservice to everyone involved. Crews just can't get a buzz going for himself: he is such an excellent in-ring performer, but always seems to be lost in the conversation on social media. Crews could use a great manager or a boss willing to help Crews in that department. The performances Crews has given over the summer while working around the United States Championship have been his best yet. Hopefully Crews will continue to get more opportunities as he has shown clear signs of improvement.
WINNER
No-Decision due to RETRIBUTION interference.
WWE WOMEN'S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott
After the loss of Kairi Sane and the breakups of the IIconics and the Golden Role Models, the WWE Women's Tag Division is almost unrecognizable from what it was just two months ago. Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan have a real shot at working their way to tag team gold but Clash Of Champions will not be their time. Jax & Baszler are developing a fun chemistry and swagger together. The team of Baszler & Jax could legitimately defend the tag team championships all the way to the Royal Rumble until proper challengers can be built up to defeat them. These four can craft some creative spots utilizing their size differences – especially because the men's tag matches are both between teams that don't come close to the contrast in size and power in this match. If this match gets time, it has potential to open some eyes as these women look to show that the Women's Tag Division in WWE is still growing.
WINNERS
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler
WWE SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Lucha House Party
Since returning on August 28th, Kalisto has looked stronger, faster, and more agile than ever. The former United States Champion had a stellar match with Cesaro and performed well in LHP's victory over Cesaro & Nakamura thanks to a distraction from the Street Profits. The chemistry between Cesaro, Nakamura, and the members of Lucha House Party is undeniable; making this match one of the more exciting offerings on the card. Nakamura and Gran Metalik had an excellent match last night on SmackDown. Lucha House Party seems like it is coming to an end: Lince Dorado has it stuck in his head that Kalisto is trying to betray LHP. Dorado keeps escalating tensions with Kalisto to the point that his feelings will become a self-fulfilling prophecy as he continues to push away the former United States Champion. Cesaro & Nakamura will keep the titles for now.
WINNERS
Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura via pinfall
WWE RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
The Street Profits (c) vs. Andrade and Angel Garza
How can we care about this feud anymore? How did this match get booked on TV for the seventh time in nine weeks? The Street Profits have dominated this feud between four young stars with tremendous abilities and charisma that have been overshadowed by this feud's incredibly unnecessary overexposure. Hopefully this match is quick so that we can move on to a match that feels fresher than this one. This match could go either way because WWE has been so illogical with their booking. If they're being logical, Street Profits should win here but honestly who knows what the logic is behind the booking on RAW as of late?
WINNERS
Street Profits via pinfall
WWE RAW WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP (KICKOFF)
Asuka (c) vs. Zelina Vega
Zelina Vega earned the opportunity to face Asuka for the RAW Women's Championship by defeating Mickie James last Monday on RAW. Vega has been eager to showcase her wrestling skills on a more consistent basis on WWE programming. This is Vega's first title shot in WWE, so expect her to bring some extra energy to this match as it will be a milestone in her blossoming career. Vega slapped the hell out of Asuka when she interfered in the champion's match against Peyton Royce. Asuka's reign will not end on the kickoff show but it is odd to see the championship that Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch got over is now relegated to the kickoff show. WWE's lack of consistency in booking has not only damaged the credibility and popularity of their Superstars but it also has damaged the credibility and popularity of their own championship titles.
WINNER
Asuka via submission