5 best moments from WWE Clash of Champions 2016

We’re closing in on the final pay per view of the year – Clash of Champions. Some fans are excited and others feel as if it doesn’t need to exist, but whichever camp you fall into, there’s no denying that it feels odd when you realise COC is the final stumbling block on the road towards the Royal Rumble.

Last year’s event took place way back in September 2016 which is one of the reasons why some people may need a refresher course when it comes to what went down that night.

The host city was Indianapolis and, as you’d expect, the red brand was attempting to knock one out of the park in order to make a real statement in the battle for brand supremacy. Some matches worked and others didn’t, but all in all, it was a pretty impressive show.

With that being said, here are our five best moments from Clash of Champions 2016.

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#5 Kendrick snaps

When the cruiserweights were introduced back into the fold on a weekly basis, nobody really knew how things were going to turn out. Of course, when we look back on the whole situation in the present day it doesn’t seem quite as promising as it did following the Cruiserweight Classic, but there was once a time where there was a certain sense of optimism in the air.

The ongoing rivalry between The Brian Kendrick and TJ Perkins felt fresh, but it still needed an extra layer or two in order to get the WWE Universe invested on a more personal level. That layer, thankfully, was found – when Kendrick completed his heel turn by headbutting TJP in the wake of his Clash of Champions defeat.

#4 Charlotte does it again

In the months following WrestleMania 32, there was nobody on the entire roster who could touch Charlotte Flair from an in-ring standpoint: and we’re including the men in that theory. The Queen of WWE reigned supreme atop the Raw women’s division, with one of her defining moments coming at this September pay per view.

Flair was defending her crown against Four Horsewomen alumni Bayley and Sasha Banks, and she was able to rubber stamp her dominance over the pair with a sensational double moonsault off the top rope. She may not be as popular as Banks in the traditional sense, but she certainly outshines her in every single department inside that squared circle.

#3 Jericho helps Owens

Prior to 2016, it seemed as if the days of main event run-ins when the World Title is on the line were over, and yet, all it took was the brilliance of the reinvigorated Chris Jericho to change the trajectory of that ideology in the blink of an eye. In one moment, Team Chris & Kevin found their stride – and they never looked back.

During the bout between Owens and Seth Rollins that closed out the show, it seemed as if there were going to be some kind of shenanigans that altered the course of the match-up. While many were expecting Triple H to be the man who screwed Seth over for the second time, it was Jericho, and when you look back at the whole thing it soon becomes clear that it was a huge moment in the careers of both men who walked away with their hands held high that night.

#2 Cesaro vs Sheamus

Right now Cesaro & Sheamus are enjoying yet another run as the Raw Tag Team Champions, and twelve months ago, that would’ve been unheard of. Why? Because the two had just concluded a tremendous seven-match series that was put in place by Mick Foley in order to determine who was the better man.

At the time some fans couldn’t wait for it to be over and done with, but once their seventh and final match had come to an end at Clash of Champions, nobody was complaining. The two European juggernauts hit each other with everything they had, with the end result being the crowd in attendance chanting “let them fight” in unison.

#1 Raw makes a statement

In terms of an actual moment, this one would be when the event actually went off the air. You see, prior to things getting underway that night at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse, a lot of people felt as if SmackDown Live had Raw on the ropes following what was a tremendous Backlash pay per view a few weeks prior.

But when it was all said and done, everyone could see that Vince McMahon wasn’t about to let his number one brand go down without a fight. The show had great moments, it had dramatic twists and turns, and it had a true Match of the Year candidate. In any sense, you can’t ask for much more than that, and the blue brand has a lot of pressure on its shoulders if it wants to replicate that success.