Tonight is WWE Clash of Champions 2016! Here is the Pulse Wrestling crew’s preview and predictions!
WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins
Brittney- Honestly, this match is a win for everyone. These two are great performers and their rivalry has plenty of heat right now. Part of me wonders how Rollins winning would impact rumors of a Shield reunion and his sort of (almost but not quite) face turn when he came to help Roman against Rusev and Owens on Monday night. Owens, for his part, can be in a ring with anyone and the match will be great and he carries himself well in every storyline so I’m looking forward to seeing where they go from here.
Winner- Kevin Owens
CB: Owens retains. HHH interferes again.
Winner: Owens
Sam P – Way too early to dethrone Owens, but we need some kind of progression with the Triple H story considering we haven’t seen a peep from him on Raw. He pops up on CWC without so much as a mention of why he interfered last month. Rude.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Michael McMonigle – I have a feeling this feud continues for a little while. Owens hasn’t been champ long enough to make a title change seem important here. And I just don’t think Rollins is where he needs to be as a face yet.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Widro – I don’t think the Owens reign will end so soon. Should be a great match either way.
Winner: Owens
United States Champion Rusev vs. Roman Reigns
Brittney- Again, this could impact the Shield reunion rumors. Like we saw on Monday Seth came out and made a sort of save to Roman and if we all remember The Shield was not only a dominant stable but they all held gold during their Shield days. Back in the Shield Ambrose held the US Title but maybe now is Roman’s time. The fans seem bored with Rusev so, just for that, it may be Roman’s time to shine.
Winner- Roman Reigns
CB: Roman takes it.
Winner: Reigns
Sam P – If Roman Reigns loses a match for the mid card title, how can he justify going for the big one? God knows what they’re going to do with Reigns going forward, but safe to say there’s no plan after his suspension and then Balor’s injury forced WWE to shred everything they had. It has to be Rusev retaining through shenanigans in an attempt to leave them both in a relatively decent position.
Winner: Rusev retains
Michael McMonigle – I have a bad feeling this feud continues for a little while. Unfortunately, I think they switch the title here because they just can’t leave the audience to organically respond to Roman Reigns.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Widro – The Roman Reigns jobbing tour continues!
Winner: Rusev
Raw Women’s Champion Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley
Brittney- I get that they want an awesome match and, with these women, it will be. What I can’t stand is how we got here. “Oh no they’re both pinned! Oh well, Triple Threat!” A poor creative decision on how we got here doesn’t matter in the long run as this match will be worth watching. All these women have a right to the title and a right to succeed. We’ll see who gets that chance on Sunday though. No matter what this three way rivalry is far from over. Charlotte has the history of getting a win by in not so clean ways so depending on her actions she may steal one. Sasha and Bayley have the fan support and are primed to take down Charlotte.
Winner- Bayley
CB: I’d love to see Sasha win by costing Bayley, giving sympathy to Bayley and turning Sasha heel.
Winner: Sasha
Sam P – Lots of permutations here, especially with Dana Brooke added into the mix. Brooke will probably redeem herself by helping Charlotte to success, but either way, we need her out of the picture to let 3/4s of the Horsewomen dominate the division as Nia Jax looks on from afar and Summer Rae remains thankfully off television.
Winner: Charlotte
Michael McMonigle – If the title was taken off Banks due to her back injury, and she is healthy, then put the belt back on her and let her have a long reign. However, if she isn’t 100%, I think Charlotte keeps it for a while longer and Banks wins it another time. And as much as I love Bayley, I don’t think they will pull the trigger on a title reign for her yet. Regardless, I think this will be the match of the night.
Winner: Charlotte
Widro – Not a fan of how this has been booked at all.
Winner: Charlotte
Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
Brittney- At this point I just want to see something new from both teams. While the comedy factor is always there and while they are all capable wrestlers they seem stuck in a loop of insults/gimmicks/mockery lately. Give me something new, even if that means The New Day are no longer champions.
Winner- Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
CB: Gallows and Anderson will win, but they should have already won when they had more momentum.
Winners: The Club
Sam P – I said it last time these two teams fought for the belts… The Club need them way more than The New Day. They’ve lost their bad-assery and need it back, desperately.
Winner: The Club
Michael McMonigle – Maybe it is just me, but The New Day seems to be getting a little stale to me. Not that I think Gallows and Anderson are lighting the world on fire either. I have no real interest in watching this match or seeing more of this feud, tbh.
Winner: Gallows and Anderson
Widro – Anderson and Gallows have been completely bad in WWE since splitting from AJ.
Winners: New Day
Cesaro vs. Sheamus (Match Seven in Best of Seven Series)
Brittney- We made it to match seven which makes me believe Cesaro may make the big comeback. However, just because Cesaro has caught up doesn’t mean we can discount Sheamus (or Cesaro’s injuries). This match will be a good one but the winner could go either way. Sheamus needs a win to stay relevant and Cesaro needs a win to finally get a decent push. We’ll see who gets what they need on Sunday.
Winner- Cesaro
CB: I hope Cesaro wins and feuds with Owens.
Winner: Cesaro
Sam P – Let it end.
Winner: Sheamus
Michael McMonigle – Like most people on the internet, I think Cesaro is awesome and not pushed enough. However, unlike most people on the internet, I don’t hate Sheamus. In fact, these two have been putting on pretty good matches lately. But what exactly are they fighting for? Bragging rights? Some general sense that maybe Mick Foley will put them into a title hunt? Since I think Owens keeps the Universal belt and Reigns takes the US title, my guess is Vince and Co. will continue to screw with the IWC and give the victory to the Celtic Warrior.
Winner: Sheamus
Widro – Despite super predictable booking so far, I think the finals will be a small swerve and a Sheamus win
Winner: Sheamus
WWE Cruiserweight Champion T.J. Perkins vs. Brian Kendrick
Brittney- Confession: I am a Brian Kendrick fangirl. There, I said it. I loved him back in his original WWE days and now that he’s back I’m excited and feeling like I’m 13 again. Still I don’t want to discount the new amazing talent that is TJ Perkins. Aside from skill Perkins has a great message of hope and how working hard can change everything. He was an underdog in the tournament so while a part of me wants Kendrick to win part of me would love to see Perkins establish himself further and continue his title run.
Winner- TJ Perkins
CB: Perkins will retain but it will be a solid fight.
Winner: TJP
Sam P – Surely this is the first time a champion has made their debut on a WWE PPV? It was bizarre that Perkins wasn’t on Raw and there has been zero build to this match except for the fact it’s for a reinvigorated championship. Still, should be fun and Kendrick brings something to the division that no-one else does. To be honest, he’s a better fit as champ with the other flippy face men chasing a dick heel, but ho hum.
Winner: TJ Perkins
Michael McMonigle – I like The Brian Kendrick, but I thought he was the least impressive of the 3 cruiserweights featured last week on Raw. I really would rather see Cedric Alexander in this spot. But, I think Kendrick will make Perkins look like a million bucks here.
Winner: T.J. Perkins
Widro – So crazy they didn’t even put Perkins on Raw, the division seems DOA but stranger things have happened.
Winner: Perkins
Sami Zayn vs. Chris Jericho
Brittney- Did anyone else laugh a bit too much at seeing Zayn call Jericho Kevin Owen’s bitch? I did. That alone makes me want Zayn to win. Jericho has had some good runs lately but Zayn needs the chance to shine more than the veteran. Fans are behind the redhead on this one and so am I.
Winner- Sami Zayn
CB: Sami wins to give him a solid win. Jericho doesn’t need it because he already has IT!
Winner: Sami Zayn
Sam P – Looking forward to this one. Jericho can be anywhere on the card and entertain, but Zayn needs a big win and will hopefully move on to hunting down titles.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Michael McMonigle – I have no idea why they would have Jericho win here. Zayn needs some big wins to build him up as a potential championship threat again. A loss would do no good except for dragging out a couple more matches between these two at future events. And while that is not, in and of itself, a horrible idea, I would rather they just get Zayn on some sort of winning track. I do not want him to become the Dolph Ziggler of the Raw brand.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Widro – Really looking forward to this match.
Winner: Zayn
Alicia Fox vs. Nia Jax (Kickoff Match)
Brittney- Normally I’m not too excited about the kickoff matches and while I’m not dying to see this one I am interested in seeing how it goes. The fact that they’re giving Alicia this push into the spotlight, her own rivalry and against a bigger, more dominant competitor is a good way for these women to establish themselves.
Winner-Nia Jax
CB: Best Match since Melina vs. Fox
Winner: Nia Jax
Sam P – If I owned a house, I’d bet it on Jax crushing Alicia Fox like a grape.
Winner: Nia Jax
Michael McMonigle – I forgot Alicia Fox was still employed by WWE. This will be nothing more than a squash match to continue to establish Nia Jax as the monster of the Women’s division.
Winner: Nia Jax
Widro – Good old school booking here to build up Jax as a credible threat.
Winner: Jax
