Breaking down the best three moments from WWE’s Clash of Champions 2016.
On paper, WWE Clash of Champions had the chance to be special. Although not packed with legends, RAW’s revival of WCW’s former cable staple show was brimming with young talent. Outside of Chris Jericho, the card was stacked full with fresh and engaging superstars all looking to make a name for themselves. That’s usually a recipe for a solid night.
Adding to the crop of solid wrestling was the fact that 5 belts were on the line at COC. The women’s title, the newly minted Cruiserweight title, the United States title, the tag team titles, and The Universal titles were all at stake Sunday night.
So, with all that lined up for the RAW brand, would they perform up to expectations? In a word, yes. There were some major highlights to a show that featured some intense wrestling and sizzling rivalries. And not only did the RAW superstars shine, many of the feuds that were on display at COC seem to only be picking up steam. When a show can deliver on action and suspense yet still keep the fans yearning to see what’s next, well that’s a productive outing.
There were many great moments at Clash of Champions but ahead we break down the top 3.
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3. Round 8, Anyone?
When the concept of a best of seven series between Sheamus and Cesaro was first introduced, most fans knew that there could be fireworks. These 2 guys are 2 of the toughest, hardest hitting superstars in the entire company and their matches normally produce magic. With the risk of these 2 men tearing into each other becoming boring, they erased any doubt with 6 vicious battles drawing 3-3 and headed into Clash of Champions for the deciding 7th battle.
So with 6 matches already in the vault, how could these 2 raise the bar? Very easily, they beat the tar out of each other. Both warriors tore into each other like his was the biggest match of their respective careers and what resulted was a master class in bruising-style wrestling. They traded big moves and smash-mouth strikes only to draw even in what was supposed to be the deciding duel when the referee stopped the bout basically because the two best each other up too much.
So the only logical next step would be an eighth match or more specifically a rematch of match 7. Do they waste zero time and do it on RAW Monday night? Or do they hold off on it and treat it with the respect this feud deserves? Regardless of which way the culmination of this feud goes, the WWE Universe’s viewing will continue to benefit from 2 men who are hell bent on winning and moving up in the rankings. These matches have been so good that the winner deserves the next shot at the Universal Championship. But at this rate, there is a so absolutely no way to predict who will come out on top. That, my friends, is a great way to work an angle. Great wrestling, high drama, and 2 guys who are proving that they want it bad. If it could always be this easy.
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2. Charlotte Makes a Statement
Much like her Dad, the larger the stage, the better Charlotte performs. That was on full display at Clash of Champions when she took on two of the other very best female wrestlers on the roster. And not only did “The Queen” emerge victorious, she clearly looked like the consummate professional against the talented duo of Bayley and Sasha Banks. Simply put, she was the ring general, the shot-caller in an incredible match that saw the champ retain once again.
Charlotte was everywhere in this match, refusing to allow her fan-favorite opponents to gain any sustained momentum. For every slick counter or attack move that Banks or Bayley had, Charlotte was constantly there to foil them. This was a vintage heel win for the best female heel in the company.
With this win, Charlotte continues to stabilize a women’s division that is in desperate need of an alpha female. Charlotte is now a staggering 12-0 in pay per view title matches and her legend grows by the day. She’s the perfect choice to rule the RAW women’s division and after another decisive showing at COC, whoever eventually dethrones “The Genetically Superior Athlete” will be an instant star. That’s exactly what being a champion is all about.
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1. Universal Title Match
The WWE Universal title did not get off to the start that the company expected. Finn Balor’s triumphant win over Seth Rollins at SummerSlam for the inaugural title win was immediately spurned when it turned out that Balor’s shoulder injury sustained during the match would derail the new champion for at least six months. So in order to restore some luster to this new belt, the WWE needed to up the ante. And that they did, as Triple H gift-wrapped the title to Owens due to interference on the August 29th RAW.
Now with Owens as Universal Champion, the WWE immediately breathed new life into a title that looked dead in the water just weeks after it was introduced. Owens first title defense at Clash of Champions was going to be a big deal, especially since it was the first one in the title’s history. And since the match was between two of the best workers on the roster, it, of course, was outstanding.
Now it can be argued that Chris Jericho’s interference marred what should have been a straight up wrestling match but because of it, this budding feud continues on. When two stars battle like Owens and Rollins did at Clash of Champions, the belt they’re fighting over is immediately elevated and that’s exactly what the Universal title needed. That belt goes from dead in the water to ultra-important because of one storyline. Great stuff.
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