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The 2019 WWE Clash of Champions PPV is in the books, and the event featured a host of noteworthy storyline progressions, as well as the crowning of new champions.
Coming out of the PPV, The Revival reign supreme as the new SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions, and Robert Roode has a newfound purpose on the Raw brand as he successfully captured the Raw Tag Team Championships along with his partner Dolph Ziggler.
The Women's titles were all successfully defended at WWE Clash of Champions, however, rematches appear likely, so let's take a look at five things we learned coming out of this past weekend's PPV.
#5 The Fiend looks to be the next Universal title challenger
The stars of WWE Clash of Champions 2019 were undoubtedly Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman, as the two Champions bookended the PPV by defending, and losing, the Raw Tag Team Titles to open the show, and Seth Rollins retained the Universal title against Braun Strowman in the main event of the night.
Despite Seth Rollins escaping Clash of Champions with at least one of his two titles, he was unexpectedly attacked by The Fiend following the main event match, as Bray Wyatt made a surprise appearance and laid waste to Rollins with The Mandible Claw.
The timing of the appearance by The Fiend was interesting given next month's WWE PPV is the annual Hell in a Cell event, and the show typically features two Hell in a Cell stipulation matches.
With Bray Wyatt previously competing in matches such as House of Horrors and The Ultimate Deletion, it seems fitting that The Fiend is next in line to challenge Seth Rollins for the WWE Universal Title, and no doubt inside Hell in a Cell at the annual October PPV.
#4 Charlotte Flair might soon be turning babyface
WWE fans were likely expecting at least one women's title to change hands at the Clash of Champions PPV this year, but the event came and went and all four women's Champions, Bayley, Becky Lynch, and Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross, left the event having retained their gold.
In the first women's title match of the night, Charlotte Flair challenged her Four Horsewomen compadre Bayley for the SmackDown Women's Championship, however, Flair fell victim to her own family's legacy.
Charlotte's father Ric Flair is often dubbed "the dirtiest player in the game," and Bayley took a page right out of Flair's book when she removed the turnbuckle cover while the referee was not looking, and planted Charlotte Flair's face squarely into the turnbuckle to steal a quick pin fall victory.
The match itself was not the classic many wrestling fans had expected, but the finish of the bout foreshadowed a possible babyface turn from Charlotte Flair. With Bayley recently solidifying herself as a heel in WWE by aligning with Sasha Banks, it would make sense for The Queen to turn babyface in order to re-align herself with The Man, Becky Lynch.
#3 Sami Zayn is the best WWE talent on the microphone
One of WWE's most unique and unexpected pairings in recent memory has been that of Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami Zayn.
Zayn has been acting as Nakamura's voice in recent weeks, likely because WWE feels Nakamura needs a mouthpiece to help him flourish on the main roster.
When Shinsuke Nakamura made his debut in WWE, he thrived in NXT where the focus was placed more on his in-ring abilities than his abilities on the mic, but on the main roster, which favors character over in-ring ability, Nakamura has floundered in the past year.
By teaming up Zayn and Nakamura, it offers Zayn a creative outlet, and keeps Nakamura relevant as the IC Champion with an "advocate", similar to how Paul Heyman speaks for Brock Lesnar.
While some fans might be annoyed with Sami Zayn's constant commentary during Nakamura matches, there is little doubt that Zayn is the most talented Superstar on the mic in WWE, as he has helped build Nakamura matches as seen at Clash of Champions this year. Amazingly, Zayn has been a key factor in promoting bouts in which he is not even competing.
#2 Vince McMahon does not hate Luke Harper
Last week, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported that there were no plans in WWE to bring Luke Harper back to television, as Vince McMahon reportedly "doesn't see anything in [Harper]", and the plan appeared to be for Harper to sit out the remainder of his contract at home.
The above is certainly not the case, however, as Luke Harper made his surprise return to WWE TV at Clash of Champions over the weekend, and assisted his former Bludgeon Brother Erick Rowan in defeating Roman Reigns.
The match at Clash of Champions was a No DQ bout, meaning Harper could interfere in the match as he saw fit, and the former Wyatt Family member took full advantage of the No DQ stipulation, helping Rowan destroy Roman Reigns and hit Reigns with the Iron Claw through a table.
Given Luke Harper asked for his WWE release back in April of last year, but was not granted the release, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Harper now that he has returned to WWE TV. Other talents who requested releases in the past due to creative frustration, like The Revival, have been rewarded with recent pushes on TV.
#1 WWE clearly is not trying to promote All Elite Wrestling
This year's WWE Clash of Champions PPV featured Shinsuke Nakamura defending the IC title against The Miz. During the match, WWE was quick to promote that The Miz is only one IC title win away from tying the most amount of IC title wins in company history.
The Miz has captured the Intercontinental Championship eight times in his career, and a ninth win would tie with the current IC title win record holder. That record holder, however, happens to be All Elite Wrestling Champion Chris Jericho. Interestingly, they conveniently did not mention who the record holder is.
The decision not to mention Chris Jericho by name was likely made by WWE officials so as not to offer any promotion to AEW, as a mention of Jericho could inspire people to search Jericho's name and learn that he will soon be appearing regularly on TV for a company who will directly compete against WWE.
What else did we learn from WWE Clash of Champions? Let us know in the comment section and be sure to follow SK on Twitter and Facebook!
