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AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn vs. Jeff Hardy in a Ladder Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
One of the most anticipated matches heading into WWE Clash of Champions was the Triple Threat Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship with Jeff Hardy defending the title against AJ Styles and Sami Zayn. Zayn made his return on the SmackDown following WWE SummerSlam with his own Intercontinental Championship. Since then, each man has claimed to be the rightful champion, which led to this encounter.
This opener to the main card of WWE Clash of Champions was high impact and non-stop action. All three men put their bodies on the line with everyone taking crazy bumps to put on an entertaining spectacle that was insane. We had unique uses of the ladder, such as Jeff Hardy being flunked out of the ring while straddling the ladder by Sami Zayn. We also saw Jeff do a death-defying Swanton Bomb off a ladder onto Sami Zayn across a ladder bridge.
In the end, Sami Zayn used a set of handcuffs to first handcuff Hardy's ear lobe to a short ladder. He then used the other set to handcuff himself to AJ Styles. As Styles climbed the ladder with Sami on his back, Jeff Hardy came in with the ladder attached to his ear to distract AJ. Sami used this to handcuff Styles to the ladder that he was climbing and climb the other side to walk out of WWE Clash of Champions with both titles.
This was such a creative finish in one of the inventive and innovative ladder matches that the fans have witnessed in years from WWE. The Ladder Match delivered one of the best matches of the year. This contest was an instant classic that opened the proper pay-per-view version of WWE Clash of Champions with a bang.
Star Rating: ****1/2
