REVIEWED: Clash of Champions

Sunday night marked RAW’s first foray into branded pay-per-views. It had its highs and its lows, but overall left me feeling like it was an episode of RAW with lots of title matches. Without further ado, I will break down the card to see what WWE got right and what could have been better.

 

That Opening Video, Though

If there’s one thing WWE consistently gets right, it’s their production quality. Whether it’s an opening, a video for a returning superstar or a highlight package- WWE’s talented video editors and producers never fail. If tonight’s was different in any way, I’d say it was one of their better PPV intros that seemed to lend credibility to all the belts regardless of how they had been painted leading up to Clash of Champions.

 

Trendy Destination Spot: Suplex City

WWE 2k17 is weeks away from being released. Past spots have included Lesnar and Goldberg. But they were short and generic. Tonight WWE debuted a new spot for the game and it came off as incredibly original, fun and creative. See for yourself:

 

Pre-Show match: Alicia Fox versus Nia Jax

Fox inserted herself into a brief feud with Jax a few weeks ago on RAW backstage. After accidentally nailing Jax in the face with a tissue box, Nia made quick work of Fox in destructive fashion on September 12th’s RAW. They decided once wasn’t enough and let Fox get a PPV check to job to Nia once again. It didn’t light the world on fire, but wasn’t designed to. Jax won with her new Samoan Drop finisher which looks a hell of a lot better than her pitiful leg drop that looks like it wouldn’t hurt Samuel L Jackson in Unbreakable.

Side note: If Fox can’t do an axe kick correctly, don’t do it at all. She’s been in WWE since 2007 and the damn thing always hits her opponent’s back and looks comically unbelievable.

Verdict: It did what it was designed to do- make Nia look dominant against a veteran female. It went on a bit longer than it should have, and Fox got a lot of offense in. But soon WWE will need to insert Nia into a meaningful feud or she risks stagnating. At the moment I see it hard finding a spot for her in the women’s title scene- even with her dominance since being drafted.

 

WWE Tag Team Titles: Anderson and Gallows vs. The New Day (c)

The New Day came out and gave their usual promo. This wasn’t bad, and was far less grating/repetitive than a lot of their recent RAW work. It was expected and served its purpose without dragging too much.

Gallows and Anderson continue to KILL IT in the entrance attire game. Their sleeveless trench coats come in a multitude of color patterns, and I feel they don’t get enough credit for it.

The Club members got A LOT of offense in surprisingly. Even the hot tag to Kofi was nullified by an Anderson spinebuster. That surprised me. But it seemed all for naught as the match quickly went in The New Day’s favor lacking any suspense of build up to their win. Woods’ nailing Anderson with Francesca was odd as the trio are faces and did a blatant heel move to retain the belts. Cole and Saxton acted like it was par for the course, but the double standard for faces is pretty silly.

Verdict: Gallows and Anderson have the skill to be champions, but lack the charisma to carry the division. As formidable as they might be ring-wise, they lost a bit of luster when AJ went to Smackdown. I don’t believe they will be the ones to unseat New Day as champions, but with such a thin division there’s no telling. New Day’s heel tactics came off as an underwhelming start to the show. They’ll likely have another by-the-numbers promo tomorrow night, which is something last year I thought I’d never say about them.

 

WWE Cruiserweight Title: Brian Kendrick versus TJ Perkins

Pre-match side note: Tom Philips was borderline sitting on the ground Indian-style if TJP looked a clean 3-4 inches taller than him. It’s hysterical how Tom towers over females but WWE consistently has him get far lower for the male counterparts. You can almost see it in his face, like he’s going to start laughing.

TJP’s entrance seemed pretty badass at first, but the longer I listened to the theme and looked at the entranceway- the tackier it seemed. I feel the novelty will wear off and that video game-like tune will get stale very quickly.

The purple ropes/turnbuckle pads are a nice touch, but odd in a sense that they changed them for the third match of the night, only to have to change them right back for Cesaro/Sheamus. But kudos to the ring crew’s efficiency.

The match itself was what we expected. Kendrick is playing a desperate veteran with very few flashy moves, dying to be champion. TJP is the fresh face who hasn’t taken off the “NEW!” sticker yet, and looked smooth and fluid as always. Kendrick showed he could be crafty and a threat, but ultimately TJP is the better wrestler and retained the belt with his grapevine leglock finisher.

The Verdict: The intention here was to get TJP over as the new CW champ, and it accomplished that. There was no way he was losing the belt this soon after the CWC, especially to a 37 year-old whose best days are behind him. I find the leglock finisher a tad underwhelming for a cruiserweight, as it could be better used as an alternate finisher when all else has failed. Also Kendrick tapped for too quickly to sell the drama of the hold. As a PPV debut for the CW division after an underwhelming RAW display, this match didn’t do much to impress me. Not that the two didn’t work hard- but when you have talent like Cedric Alexander and Rich Swann on the roster and THIS is the title match you kick things off with? I can’t fully get behind that. I still believe the division would be better suited for Smackdown where it would get the proper attention and not one post 10 pm segment during the dead spot on RAW.

 

Best of 7: Cesaro vs. Sheamus

Side note: Cesaro’s tuxedo thing is like Stepbrothers. It’s cool and fun at first, but lately it’s just kind of messed up and forced.

Side note (s) 2:

1.WHAT IS A UNIQUE CHAMPIONSHIP OPPORTUNITY?

2.DO THEY FIGHT FOR THE WOMEN’S BELT?

3. THE CRUISERWEIGHT BELT?

4. MAYBE THE HARDCORE TITLE?

5. WHY DIDN’T THEY JUST WALK OUT ON RAW A FEW WEEKS BACK LIKE CASS AND GET A UNIVERSAL TITLE OPPORTUNITY?

This match being the NINTH the two have had post-draft was a death knell for this bout. But credit to both guys who willed it into a classic before it was cut short due to medics worrying for the safety of both grapplers. Cesaro’s dive to the outside ending him landing on his head was absolutely brutal and further gives credence that anyone over 220 pounds shouldn’t dive through the ropes. I’m calling it the “PLEASE DON’T DIE-VE”. That Celtic backbreaker looked bru-tal. The match itself went from ice cold to a classic in  a matter of minutes until the unsatisfying ending.

Verdict: I’m not a Sheamus fan, but the man can go in the ring and looked stellar tonight. Cesaro was typically awesome Cesaro. The minor complaint I have with the booking of him with this series is him as an underdog. It’s not believable, even if the guy can sell the heck out of a fake injury. Just let it be two hosses who can go.

With the ending, WWE managed to garner interest in another match for the two. On the flip side, it was a bait and switch and undermined their entire series. I appreciate the efforts both men gave, and how it turned into an edge of seat affair. Yet while WWE managed to peak our interest, it dashed our hopes with the finish and made it look less decisive.

 

Sami Zayn vs. Y2J

Both guys are studs and showed up tonight. The match itself had great pacing, and Zayn continues to chase by losing tonight. The ending did surprise me, but this feud still has plenty gas left so I don’t mind it continuing.

Verdict: It was a great showing, but felt a lot like a RAW match. Zayn grimacing in pain after his diving corner DDT did make me nervous, but seemed ok at the end of the match. He’s such a good face and Y2J is such a great heel that the dynamic can only produce more fireworks between the two Canadians.

 

WWE Women’s Championship: Bayley vs. Sasha Banks vs Charlotte (c)

The match itself came out of nowhere. Two RAWs ago, Sasha gets credit for a clean win after both her and Bayley’s shoulders were on the mat. No one that night even mentioned the controversy. It wasn’t until last week the scenario to add Bayley was suggested.

The backstory between all three in regards to their RAW history seemed weak and forced. There’s plenty of time to introduce Bayley into the title scene- why so quickly? Maybe Sasha’s injury prone nature helped lead to it, but it seemed very rushed. Also I feel WWE is just relying on the trio’s NXT history to sell the feud without adding layers to it on RAW.

Verdict: The match itself had a great flow to it and all three busted their butts. Sasha didn’t kill herself with any risky moves tonight which after previous scares was welcoming. Charlotte winning here was the right call, as hot-shotting the belt between three women wouldn’t be a bright idea. The ending left more to be desired, but wasn’t too egregious.

 

US Title: Roman Reigns vs Rusev (c)

This was a feud that had gained some traction before Rusev’s wedding/honeymoon break. It picked up again, and still Reigns can’t get over with the audience- even as a midcard act. The booes were prevalent during his entrance and at points in the match. WWE’s refusal to change his character one iota only hurts him. Reigns is like that guy hanging onto his letter jacket and high school glory by keeping Shield’s music and attire.

The Verdict: The two have good chemistry in ring and great ring psychology. The problem was once again it felt like a RAW match. Reigns winning after hitting one spear seemed a bit quick, as fans did not buy him as champion. I’m not sure where they go with him after a rematch with Rusev (that I can easily see being squandered on tomorrow’s RAW), but I hope they eventually see the money in him as a heel. Both men can go in ring and tonight was no exception. Reigns gets a lot of flack for his ringwork, but unfairly.

 

WWE Universal Title: Seth Rollins vs Kevin Owens (c)

If I see one more segment backstage with Foley and Stephanie, I will literally vomit. Like Shane and Bryan just walking around everywhere together backstage, it comes off fake and slows down the pace. We had to see both Owens and Rollins encounter them backstage, with little storyline progression (if any). Foley has been terrible as is second go as an authority figure. Stephanie tries to get herself over every talent whether she yells at them or slaps them.

What hurt this match most was the lack of buildup- specifically Rollins as a face. Rollins’ return screamed that he should be face (especially after his WWE 24 documentary), yet WWE decided to keep him heel and Reigns face. Go figure.

Sidenote: Rollins’ Pedigree and Frogsplash look awful, and a little too nostalgiac. It’s one thing to do a move as a tribute, but to make them your consistent finishers is a bit much. The curb stomp was one of the coolest finishers outside of the RKO and Stunner, and was relatively safe. WWE decided to ban it because of the perception of it, and I always will think they made the wrong move by doing so.

Verdict: Owens winning was the right call here. But the ref being knocked down and literally unconscious for minutes after a slight bump seemed far-fetched. The two had a great match, but the end was no way to end a PPV event- especially RAW’s first “PPV”. I feel WWE wanted to keep Rollins looking generally strong but needed Owens to win convincingly.  I’m not sure where it goes from here, but I do think WWE needs to work harder at Rollins as a face.

After the match, WWE posted a video of Steph greeting HHH, implying the two will be ONCE AGAIN a focal point of a storyline and not the wrestlers or title. This has been going on since Vince McMahon’s evil authority figure days with Stone Cold. At one time, it worked- and even saved the company. But ever since, WWE has inserted an authority figure to direct literally every moment of the show. Vince, Shane, Stephanie, Teddy Long, Eric Bischoff, Mick Foley- and that’s not even counting their Guest GM’s. They need to go the way of William Regal in NXT and only insert themselves when absolutely necessary.

This was just over three hours, like RAW. They managed to switch it up with the purple ropes for the cruiserweights, but generally everything felt the same. While I don’t think WWE should throw cruiserweights in the ring with the bigger wrestlers just yet, it would be nice to integrate them into other aspects of the show such as interactions and what not with other wrestlers. It feels too contained.

We had the same backstage segments with Steph and Foley that included Rollins and Owens and accomplished nothing in regards to progression. Back in the day, pay per views placed little to no importance on talking. Over the past few years, WWE makes their PPV’s feel like regular shows with the amount of backstage segments and promos. That work was done in the weeks leading up to the shows, not on them.

Unlike Backlash, Clash of Champions provided zero character investment. It felt like it was just filling an obligation to the fans. That’s no fault of the wrestlers themselves who put on a great show, but the extra-curricular events outside of the wrestling dragged down the show. With the increased number of shows post brand-split, WWE will need to find a way to make each show feel important and brand-identifiable. The thinness in tag and women’s divisions is obvious, but with the all new belts on Smackdown and RAW, WWE is married to the brand split for now and has themselves to blame for any shortcomings of not planning ahead before they had the draft.

 

Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know @SeanNeutron.

 

 

 

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