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WWE will present its first Raw exclusive Pay Per View since the Brand Split with the 2016 Clash of Champions PPV this Sunday from Indianapolis, Indiana. Here’s our take on what should happen at the event.
WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins
Dave: It is way too soon to take the belt off of Owens. I get that ratings are down and all, but it's now Owens' fault. They are down to the years of product that has slowly eroded the fan base. Changing the Title here does nothing to address that. In fact, it would probably end up hurting Owens. Owens retains here in a great match, maybe we even see HHH again.
Mike: This should be awesome on paper based on what we've heard about three way bouts they have worked in on live events. I don't see a title change here but I suspect we will see more of the Seth Rollins sliding into a top babyface role perhaps even with Roman Reigns making the save to help him and return the favor from the end of Raw. I wouldn't be shocked to see Chris Jericho get involved here as it seems too soon for Triple H to pop back up - it makes more sense for HHH to wait for say Survivor Series. This should be full of lots of near falls and big spots but in the end, Owens will still be champion.
Richard: This match shows that if you piss off the boss, you are going to keep your match on a pay per view. I liked Seth interfering to keep Reigns out of the match (even though I would have expected it to be Jericho doing it on behalf of his buddy Kevin) because we are getting too many multi-person matches for titles. Owens needs to retain the title because if they give it back to Rollins, they are treating Seth like John Cena as the 'safe' pick to be the champion. Rollins needs to complete his face turn, but he does not need the title to do that. Owens is the best thing about Raw every week so keep the title on the best thing around.
WWE Women's Champion Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks versus Bayley
Dave: With Bayley added to the mix, it makes it easier from a storyline perspective for Charlotte to retain. I say something happens between Bayley and Sasha which leads to them having a feud to see who gets to Charlotte.
Mike: This could be great if they give it time and don't overshadow the story of the bout with Dana Brooke and whether she and Charlotte finally explode. I think you've got a great story in both Banks and Bayley, who have been friendly, slowly getting more and more antagonistic with each other as they undermine their "friend"/former NXT rival to try and get the win. Charlotte always looks her strongest in the ring with Banks and Bayley always brings the best out of Sasha, so this could really be something at the level of what the women pulled off at Wrestlemania 32 - but that's only if WWE allows it to happen.
Richard: I wish this was a singles match because we have the chance that the title will change hands without the champion being pinned. With the recent injury issues with Sasha, is it in the best interest of the company to put the title on her? Has the Bayley experience been a success or was she forced into this position without an opportunity to let it grow organically? Is it really the best option to keep the title on Charlotte and have Dana do something that will get Charlotte to be pissed off at her and then see Dana finally realize that Charlotte is a bully and have this be the feud for a few months? Where for art thou Emma?
WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows
Dave: I won't say it's do or die time for The Club, but it's getting really close. WWE has a great asset in them and they are wasting it. The New Day do not need the belts. It's time to flip the switch and put them on Anderson and Gallows. Those guys are so good and it's time that WWE starts showing their fans that.
Mike: I feel like I have written this before, but get those damn Tag belts off the New Day. They are a franchise unto themselves and they don't need the belts. Gallows and Anderson, however, do. They have been muddling about, sometimes being used as comedy heels, sometimes being solid heels but never being given the true ball. You can build the entire Tag division around them and they can work with anyone. It's time to shift the belts over and use them to solidify the Club as stars.
Richard: Is this the time that they decided to take the tag titles off the New Day and give someone else a chance? It seems that every time they let a team hold the titles too long, it hurts that team more than the ones who never win. We don't want the New Day to end up like the Usos. If we get new champions on Sunday, I think Anderson needs to get the pin because he has been portrayed as the weak link of the team. Losing the title might also help rehabilitate the New Day because they have gotten stale recently.
WWE United States Champion Rusev vs. Roman Reigns
Dave: I think if WWE keeps Reigns focused and chasing Rusev, they can get at least some of the fans out there to stop booing him. If they put the Title on him now, he will lose that sympathy. For that reason alone, I have him lose. There is more to be gained in the chase here.
Mike: This could be a great brawl as they have had some fun matches in the past. I don't see Reigns getting the belt and I could imagine a DQ but since the long game is to get Reigns back over as THE man, they should do the Austin/Bret finish where Reigns passes out in the Accolade refusing to tap so he has some sympathy and then once he and Rollins as solidified as a unit again, hopefully it helps get the fans back over to Roman's side. It would help Rusev continue to be built as the great heel his work has shown he can be.
Richard: This match could show whether they feel Reigns has been punished enough or it could show that they need more credible challengers for the main titles. Rusev needs to return to the level he was at prior to his feud against John Cena and this is the type of match where he can get there. Rusev needs a clean win over Reigns, but in a match where Reigns remains strong as he continues to stay at or near the top of the card. If he can get Reigns to tap out, it will mean more than Reigns passing out to show how tough he is.
WWE Cruiserweight Champion TJ Perkins versus Brian Kendrick
Dave: I LOVED the journey of Brian Kendrick through the CWC. It was great storytelling. He has already made it clear that he knows this could be last chance. I don't think it's too soon to take the Title from TJ since he basically won a tournament to get it, so if it's me I have Kendrick pull out any dirty trick that he has to use to win and then have babyface TJ chase him for the Title.
Mike: If they want the Cruisers to mean something, they need to give this time. The lack of an appearance for Perkins almost makes me think there could be a title change with Kendrick winning the belt. On paper, this could be really good. I expect lots of near falls and some really cool back and forth exchanges.
Richard: This will be the match where we see if they are going to treat the Cruiserweights like a unique division or if it will just be the same thing we already see on Raw, but with guys under 205 pounds. The matchon Monday was okay and showed that they will give us long matches with the cruisers (but they did the same with the Women when Stephanie started her revolution). Kendrick was the right choice for this match because he will be a name that the casual fan will recognize. One of the other three men from Monday might have given us a better match, but this will be fine. Perkins needs to retain so he can have a win over a name that people know and it legitimizes Perkins.
Cesaro vs. Sheamus in Match Seven of the Best of Seven Series
Dave: This has been 100 percent predictable from day one, so they might as well keep it that way and have Cesaro finish off the comeback to win the series. After this is over, I hope that both guys can be put into something meaningful, that the fans will get behind. They both deserve it.
Mike: The wrestling has been fine here but nothing from the series has given the viewer the reason to care more about Sheamus or Cesaro coming out of it. At this point, I would actually book Sheamus to win because there is a more interesting story coming out of a beaten and furious Cesaro snapping. In a lot of ways, this should have been Cesaro's coming out story but it isn't.
Richard: As soon as they announced this series, I thought this would be how it would end up with Sheamus going up 3-0 and then Cesaro coming back to tie it. Sheamus has been too confident in the last few matches so he should show more intensity and possibly try to get a quick victory. Cesaro has gotten to Sheamus so he should wait for Sheamus to make the mistake that costs him the match and gives Cesaro the win. I hope they do something special in this match because the three Cesaro wins feel like an afterthought. I think Rusev wins the US title match so it makes sense to have Cesaro face Rusev.
Sami Zayn vs. Chris Jericho
Dave: The only way Jericho should win here is if he does it by total screwjob and Sami can win the blow off. Otherwise, Sami should go over here. Losses don't hurt Jericho at all and his role is to get over younger talent. That is what he should do here.
Mike: I am going to sound like a broken record here, but there is no reason for Jericho to win here. He is a made man. Zayn should come back from a beating to shock him with the Helluva Kick for the win.
Richard: This is a match that should lead to the way to get us the Owens vs. Zayn match for the title since this feud was ended at Battleground (and then restarted on Raw recently, but we don't have to let facts get in the way). This is a match that Zayn should win to get him to start to make a claim that he should get a Universal Title Match. With the history of WWE creative, there is a chance that Jericho will win this match. Maybe we get a list at some point during the PPV.
Nia Jax vs. Alicia Fox (Kickoff Show Match)
Dave: I could see Fox getting a little bit in as Nia has her first somewhat competitive match. But after that, Fox gets crushed.
Mike: This will be the beginning of the second stage for Jax as she gets to have something of a competitive bout with Fox as well as a "grudge" match. In the end, we know Jax should be wiping out Fox but if they have a fun brawl before the end, it could be a nice way to show a different side of Jax.
Richard: For Alicia Fox, the questions are always 'Is this the week that she is a face or a heel' and 'Is this the week that Alicia is crazy or not'. Nia has been destroying people in the ring, including Alicia so why should we expect anything different?
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