For now, it’s advantage Team Blue. Now that the Raw brand his its own pay-per-view event, Clash of Champions, how will this show better the one Smackdown Live a few weeks ago? How can WWE figure out how to write storylines that are effective without being to overdramatic and still show Raw is the better of the two programs?
It’s tougher than it seems. At Clash of Champions, the McMahons have a chance to write a best-selling novel for each title match, as well as its undercard. Can Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley deliver after big brother Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan have proven they are hungry for more?
While there are more matches and a better undercard, it remains to be seen if more is better, if the Seth Rollins-Kevin Owens match can deliver without outside interference and whether Rusev will continue to win fans over by taking down Roman Reigns? Does the addition of Bayley to this match make the Women’s Title tilt with Sasha Banks and Charlotte better or just more clouded?
Hopefully, all those questions will be answered on Sunday night. In the meantime, here are predictions for every match on the card.
Kickoff show: Nia Jax vs. Alicia Fox - At least it looks like the company is trying to give Jax some competition. The former NXT star is in the same boat as Braun Strowman when it comes to competition. Right now there isn’t a solid opponent to face the powerful Jax.
Fox is a solid jobber in the women’s division and can sell this match pretty well. While I dislike the “crazy” angle she has been working with lately, the match at least give Jax a known commodity to go over. At some point, she will have to be considered a threat to the WWE Women’s Title. Jax wins this one easily.
Chris Jericho vs. Sami Zayn – There are plenty of solid undercard matches that could turn out to be the best of the night. This is first in line to steal the show. Even into his 40s, what you get from Chris Jericho is pure magic in the ring.
Zayn is solid, but not quite on a title level yet. Like with other wrestlers, Jericho will put the Canadian and NXT star over. This equivalent to a Dolph Ziggler-Miz type match, without the chance for interference by Lana. Look for Zayn to go over, but the feud will carry over.
Cesaro vs. Sheamus in Match 7 (series tied 3-3) – This is one of the better series of matches we have seen in some time. While there is no real reward for the winner (a future date with the Universal Heavyweight Champion) I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye.
Of course, I want to see Cesaro go over and win the iron competition, but with rumors of him leaving the company, how will this all play out? Both Sheamus and the Swiss Superstar should be part of the main event picture, but instead they uphold a great mid card of talent. Sheamus wins this one and we wait to see what happens with Cesaro.
T.J. Perkins vs. Brian Kendrick for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship – I am a bit shocked that Perkins did not appear on Raw this past week, knowing there was a title match on Sunday and the company is pushing the new cruiserweight division hard.
It’s a bold and poor move on WWE’s fault. Kendrick is a solid star who is equally formidable as a single’s competitor or in the tag team division. The Wizard of Odd has resurrected his career and is the feel-good story of this brand. Look for Kendrick to leave as champion.
Rusev vs. Roman Reigns for the United States Championship – Even as a babyface defending America, Rom Reigns cannot catch a break. Could the company turn him heel and be done with it already? Of course, that cannot happen until a Shield reunion at Survivor Series, so we all have to wait a bit.
In the meantime, regardless of the anti-American sentiment, Rusev gets over with the fans and then there is Lana to look at, Ahh. Anyway, it may sound odd, but this match may help determine the outcome of the Universal Heavyweight Title match.
You can sense the McMahons want to give Reigns another shot at the company title, but it may be too soon. Rusev wins this one, maybe by disqualification.
The New Day vs. Gallows and Anderson for the Raw Tag Team Championship – Parting is such sweet sorrow. All good things must come to an end. It’s better to have …. Enough with the clichés. The New Day have been so good for the company and their reign as champions has proven there can be a dominant tag team in the company.
But they come up against Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson – the heir apparent to Hall and Nash. If anything, these former Club members are bringing attitude back to wrestling. It’s just too sweet! Look for the tag team titles to change hands on Sunday and The New Day to slowly dissipate as a team.
Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley for the Raw Women’s Championship – We saw the error in giving the initial win to Sasha Banks in the triple threat match two weeks ago between The Boss, Bayley and Dana Brooke. So the best thing to do is to have Bayley and Banks face Charlotte and the gold around her waist.
Fans should be dancing a jig right about now. Charlotte is in a situation where she does not have to be pinned to lose the match, but she must pin either female to keep her title. While Banks, Charlotte and Becky Lynch created drama and great chemistry, this one figures to do the same, if not more.
Charlotte keeps the title for now, but a Bayley-Sasha confrontation takes place at the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania 33.
Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins for the Universal Championship – This one has me torn in so many directions. How will this play out? Who wins? When will Triple H make his appearance and when the heck will Rollins get his revenge. It almost seems like the title is secondary in this matchup.
WWE is dealing with a ratings issue, therefore the company may put the title on Rollins. I say the belt should stay where it is, have the two wrestle again and finally, Rollins gets his match with Triple H and TLC. Like I have said this past week, taking the title off Owens shows WWE is concerned about him bringing in cash.
In this case, the feud between Triple H and Rollins should sell, not Owens. In the end, Owens wins.
