Tonight, SmackDown Live hosts the final WWE Pay-Per-View of the year, Clash of Champions. The theme of the event is that every championship is going to be defended, as well as a couple other matches. Highlights include Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan trying to coexist and AJ Styles defending the WWE Championship against Jinder Mahal.
Mojo Rawley vs. Zack Ryder
For the past year and a half, Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder were in the SmackDown Live tag team division as the Hype Bros. After never finding any success, they got handed two quick losses to the Bludgeon Brothers. The second one was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Rawley, who decided to drop the “dead weight” of Ryder and to find success on his own.
After hitting a chop block on Ryder, Rawley hits a running forearm in the corner to his former partner. With Ryder down, Rawley covers him for the 1-2-3. Winner: Mojo Rawley
Predicted Winner: Mojo Rawley (1/1)
Baron Corbin (c) vs. Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler – United States Championship
No one really earned a shot for the United States Championship, but since SmackDown Live is the “land of opportunity,” Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan made this match. Corbin has been the champion for a couple months after defeating AJ Styles for it, then he successfully retained against Sin Cara.
While Baron Corbin attempts the End of Days on Bobby Roode, Dolph Ziggler hits the Lone Wolf with the Zig Zag, taking his opportunity to find some resurgence in his career. This was a surprisingly good opening match, earning a “This is awesome” chant while giving Roode the main roster showing he needed. Winner, and NEW United States Champion: Dolph Ziggler
Predicted Winner: Baron Corbin (1/2)
The Usos (c) vs. Aiden English & Rusev vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin vs. The New Day – SmackDown Tag Team Championships (Fatal Four-Way Match)
As opposed to a normal four-way tag team match, there will be four men in the ring at all times. Each man can only tag his own partner, and it only ends with a pinfall or submission inside the ring. The team entering this match with a surprising amount of momentum is the team of Aiden English and Rusev. They have defeated the New Day and the current champion, The Usos, cleanly over the past two weeks.
Gable takes out almost everyone with emphatic German suplexes before the Usos double team him with superkicks and a top rope splash to retain their titles. As usual, the SmackDown tag team division delivers a high caliber match. Every team stepped up and kept the crowd on their feet. Winners, and STILL SmackDown Tag Team Champions: The Usos
Predicted Winners: The Usos (2/3)
Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Natalya – SmackDown Women’s Championship (Lumberjack Match)
Between Survivor Series and the debut of the Riott Squad, the SmackDown Women’s Championship has taken a bit of a back seat. Natalya is finally getting her chance to cash in her rematch clause, but with the caveat of the rest of the division at ringside. On top of the lumberjacks hating Charlotte Flair, they also don’t get along very well outside of the Riott Squad.
The lumberjacks for this match include Naomi, Carmella, Tamina, Lana, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan. Noticeably missing from the lumberjack list is Becky Lynch, who was written off with an “injury” to film the next installment in the Marine series along with The Miz.
Almost every lumberjack attacks Charlotte when they get the chance, but a brawl leads to all of them laid out at ringside. With just the competitors left in the ring, Charlotte counters the Sharpshooter right into the Figure Eight Leg Lock to retain her championship. Winner, and STILL SmackDown Women’s Champion: Charlotte Flair
Predicted Winner: Carmella (2/4)
The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Breezango
For months of the Fashion Files, it seemed obvious that the Bludgeon Brothers were the ones that attacked Breezango, destroyed their office, and killed their stuffed horse. Harper and Rowan returned to action a few weeks ago with a new gimmick and have been more dominant than ever in their matches against jobbers and the Hype Bros. Now they face their toughest “challenge” yet in Breezango.
Like the past few weeks, the Harper and Rowan just blaze through their opponents and pick up a quick win. Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers
Predicted Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers (3/5)
Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton & Shinsuke Nakamura – If Zayn & Owens Lose, They’re Fired (Special Guest Referees: Shane McMahon & Daniel Bryan)
Shane McMahon has had a personal vendetta against Kevin Owens for months, with Sami Zayn joining that hatred by helping Owens defeat him at Hell in a Cell. McMahon wanted to fire them both outright, but Daniel Bryan convinced him to only put them in tough matches.
After Owens and Zayn would win most of the matches, McMahon created a sure way to make sure they are fired: make himself the special guest referee with a loss in the match leading to the loss of careers in all of WWE. Daniel Bryan saw the bias in this situation and made himself a special guest referee as well in an attempt to keep things fair.
Zayn had the match won, but McMahon refused to count to three. When Zayn rolls up Orton again, Bryan purposely counts fast to make up for it, keeping the “Yep” Movement rolling. Winners: Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens
Predicted Winners: Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens (4/6)
AJ Styles (c) vs. Jinder Mahal (w/The Singh Brothers) – WWE Championship
Right before Survivor Series, AJ Styles captured the WWE Championship from Jinder Mahal. After holding the title throughout all of the summer, the Modern Day Maharaja looks to finally cash in his rematch to possibly become a two-time champion. With WrestleMania only four months away, this match could very well have a factor on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
Styles targets Mahal’s left leg at the beginning of the match and it pays off at the end. Styles’ ribs are too damaged to attempt the Styles Clash, but he is able to lock in the Calf Crusher in the center of the ring, making the Modern Day Maharaja tap out and forcing him out of the WWE Championship title picture. Winner, and STILL WWE Champion: AJ Styles
Predicted Winner: AJ Styles (5/7)
