Each year WWE holds their Clash of Champions pay-per-view event that sees every single WWE title between the Raw and SmackDown brands get put on the line. This year sees Jey Uso in his first ever WWE Universal Championship match against his cousin and the current champ, Roman Reigns. Is it really all about the bloodline Uce? We’re about to find out.
Zelina Vega has somehow wormed her way into the top of the card for the Raw’s women’s division. But she may have bit off more than she could chew with Raw Women’s Champion Asuka. On the other side of the card in the men’s division, Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre will go to war once again, with each man looking to break his opponent’s jaw and toss them in an ambulance.
There’s a slew of crazy matches happening this weekend, including a dream match for the Intercontinental title, with Jeff Hardy (c) defending against Sami Zayn and AJ Styles. This match very well could steal the show.
You can watch WWE’s Clash of Champions Gold Rush pay-per-view this Sunday, September 27, at 7 ET/4 PT on the WWE network. Get a head start on the action by checking out the full card and our team of expert’s predictions below. You can also stay up-to-date on the action by listening to our weekly wrestling podcast PTW.
Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Apollo Crews (United States Championship match)
WWE
Shane: I’m going to go with Bobby Lashley on this one. I don’t see the WWE taking the US belt off of him so soon after winning it off of Apollo Crews last month. Apollo doesn’t need the title right now and taking the belt off of Bobby not only hurts his image, but Hurt Business’ as well. For the moment, it seems that WWE is protecting the Hurt Business and their members, so I expect a victory here for Bobby Lashley.
Winner: (and STILL United States Champion) Bobby Lashley
Jason: I mean, this feud is still going on? I thought Bobbo was fighting Flip Flop and Big Snack in Retribution? That seems to be the one that Vince has more interest in pursuing, so I don’t imagine Apollo’s somehow gaining back that ugly new belt. That doesn’t mean the finish is going to be clean, though. I imagine Fishmonger, Squalor and Feta from Retribution are going to run in and prevent this one from having a clean finish, though not in a way that gives Apollo the belt.
Winner: No Contest due to Retribution interference
Jay: I agree with Jason but I don’t think it’s going to Fishmonger and Squalor from Retribution so much as it will be Feculence, Podagra, and Lo-Max. Feta will most assuredly be there though. But yea, it will be a cluster-type finish with Lashley keeping the belt
Winner: Bobby Lashley
The Street Profits (c) vs. Andrade & Angel Garza (Raw Tag Team Championship match)
WWE
Shane: Really, again? Like… seriously? The WWE really needs to start building up more tag teams because I am really getting sick of seeing this match on every PPV. Maybe we will finally see Andrade and Angel Garza win this time (?) just so we can see the Street Profits getting their six hundred guaranteed rematches and repeat this match every month till 2030.
Winners: (and NEW Raw Tag Team Champions) Andrade & Angel Garza
Jason: Copy any of the predictions I’ve made for this same match in the past. Whether it’s the first or fiftieth version of this match, it’s still going to end with the Street Profits as champion. Hopefully they just pull the trigger on this Garza/Almas split in earnest and both guys get a chance to shine in the Raw midcard. What’s that? Retribution is running down every midcard act in an attempt to get over? Oh, well sorry handsome latin fellas. Looks like you’re joining Humberto Carillo, Ricochet and everyone not in the Hurt Business or Raw Underground in gorilla position for the pre-Main Event meeting.
Winners: The Street Profits
Jay: Street Profits. Demi from The Bachelor will make her long-awaited return to cost Garza the match out of spite for leaving her alone to face Retribution a few weeks ago. She will then reveal herself as Retribution’s leader and rechristen herself Demi-vestator.
Winner: Street Profits
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn (Ladder Match – Intercontinental Championship)
WWE
Shane: I am so excited for this match. Any combination of these three wrestlers can put one hell of a singles match and arguably an even more entertaining triple threat match. Imagine my surprise when it was announced as a ladder match! I love AJ Styles. I love Jeff Hardy. I LOVE Sami Zayn. I love this program. I already know I will love this match. I fully expect these three to tear the virtual house down. I am also fully ready to see Sami Zayn regain his Intercontinental Championship that he never lost. I am ready!
Winner: (and NEW Intercontinental Champion) Sami Zayn
Jason: Confession time – I don’t watch SmackDown. I know people say it’s the best WWE program on TV these days, but it just does nothing for me. As such, I’m not SUPER up on this feud. So if I had to predict based on popularity, I’d say Jeff retains, but if I’m going with my heart – which I am – I’m calling it for Sami! He’s definitely not eating a Phenomenal Forearm that leaves AJ open for the Swanton Bomb to give Jeff the win. Nope, not happening.
Winner: Sami Zayn…but probably, Jeff Hardy
Jay: Jeff Hardy. SmackDown has been using simple, traditional booking to good effect lately which favors a Hardy victory in this instance. The whiny heel claiming they never lost the title never regains the title, so Sami’s out, and AJ is the third wheel here.
Winner: Jeff Hardy
Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Lucha House Party (SmackDown Tag Team Championship match)
WWE
Shane: Cesaro and Shinsuke will handedly win this thing. Lucha House Party never has and never will be a viable threat to the championships. I just hope we see the implosion of LHP so we can get a solid feud between Lince, Gran Metalik, and Kalisto because that, that would be awesome.
Winners: (and STILL Smackdown Tag Team Champions) Cesar & Shinsuke Nakamura
Jason: The WWE has a real knack for making me not care about wrestlers that I love. Alas, Shinsaro will win what would be an awesomely worked match in any promotion besides the WWE. Not 100% sure why that is either, I used to blame it on all the house shows, but nowadays? Maybe the producers just don’t know how to book such a mishmash of styles. Anyway, the titles are staying put and waiting for more interesting challengers.
Winners: Shinsaro
Jay: They’ve been teasing a Lucha House Party break up and having them implode after a loss is WWE’s tried and true way of ending friendships.
Winner: Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs. The Riott Squad (Women’s Tag Team Championship match)
WWE
Shane: I wasn’t too sold on the idea of Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler being a tag team, much less the Women’s Tag Team Champions. But, I have to admit. They are starting to grow on me. They have some serious tag team chemistry and are starting to mesh nicely together. And they are looking like a couple of monsters that are out to destroy everyone and everything in their path, which is also just great. I’m hoping that Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler continue to be tag team champions for at least a little while longer.
Winners: (and STILL Women’s Tag Team Champions) Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler
Jason: I always want the best for Liv and (especially) Ruby, but I think the Nia/Shayna experiment still has some legs in it. Not that it’s super entertaining or anything, but I think they’re waiting for a stronger challenger before they launch into the inevitable Nia V Shayna program. As such, Ruby and Liv are gonna get steamrolled just like Natty and Lana have been every week on Raw.
Winners: Jaxsler
Jay: “Odd-couple” tag teams are WWE’s favorite thing. I honestly think the last show Vince McMahon watched in earnest before taking the reins on the company back in the early 80’s was “The Odd-Couple.” Nia and Baszler are going no-where for at least a few months. Not to mention that the angle has been hinged upon contrasting how The Riott Squad works well as a team and Jax and Baszler having difficulty meshing which should assuredly lead to the latter’s defeat and what a moment it will be when Jax and Baszler overcome. What a twist. Can’t wait.
Asuka (c) vs. Zelina Vega (Raw Women’s Championship match)
WWE
Shane: So, Zelina Vega shows up last week, slaps Asuka, then manages to win one match and we are supposed to think she has a chance against Asuka? Ha, right!
Winner: (and STILL Raw Women’s Champion) Asuka
Jason: I’m happy to see Zelina get a chance to go solo. She’s got absolutely zero chance of winning on Sunday with no build and an unproven offense, but I’m happy for her all the same.
Winner: Asuka
Jay: This will be a sleeper hit. Zelina has not been given a chance to shine and we all forget she’s been on TV in some form or another since 2011. This is going to be her coming out party and will launch her into bigger things. She won’t dethrone Asuka but Zelina is going to surprise us all.
Winner: Asuka
Bayley (c) vs. Nikki Cross (SmackDown Women’s Championship match)
WWE
Shane: The WWE should have just named this PPV Clash of Champions: The Rematches. Seriously, what is this? The 5th championship match we have seen on at least two other PPVs this year? There’s no way that Bayley is dropping the Smackdown Women’s Championship to anybody that isn’t named Sasha Banks. Sorry, Nikki. If we get more Alexa Bliss/Fiend shenanigans during this match though, it would make Bayley/Cross #5 a little worth it. Not holding my breath though.
Winner: (and STILL Smackdown Women’s Champion) Bayley
Jason: This is another one where the challenger has no chance of winning, but good for Nikki to get a PPV payday. I’m sad that it’s at the expense of someone like, say Naomi, who would pose a more believable and interesting threat to Bayley. Anyway, we’re just spinning wheels till Sasha’s back in action (probably in the after-match beat down), so Nikki’s just a temporary road block on the road to bigger and better things.
Winner: Bayley, clearly.
Jay: Bayley and Nikki are in a holding pattern till their feuds with Sasha and Alexa, respectively, are ripe to begin in earnest. I’m hoping for some chicanery that launches everyone into their feuds but Bayley is going to retain regardless.
Winner: Bayley
Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Randy Orton (Ambulance match – WWE Championship)
WWE
Shane: I think it has come the time to take the WWE Championship off of Drew McIntyre. I honestly think they should have done it at Summerslam, but that didn’t happen, which was a mistake in my opinion. Randy Orton was the best heel in WWE, if not all of wrestling, just two months ago. Now, it feels that his character has no where near the traction or momentum like he did heading into Summerslam. The finish at Summerslam and the clean loss to Keith Lee at Payback (while a cool moment for Lee) should not have happened. If the WWE is planning on having Randy defend the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania and the rumors of the stipulation being added to protect McIntrye, then Sunday night is the best time to pull the trigger on Randy Orton. For the 14h time.
Winner: (and NEW WWE Champion) Randy Orton
Jason: I like Drew McIntyre as champion. You like Drew McIntyre as champion. He’s a great credit to the company and worthy of a top spot in the company. That being said, Randy Orton is on a whole other level at this point. He’s been crushing his promos and unselfishly putting over Keith Lee, and it’s about time for the chickens to come home to roost. Make the Snakeman champion, you cowards….then let Keith Lee take it off him.
Winner:
Snakeman
Jay: Orton. He’s been the top heel in the company since January and it’s time for him to sit on top of the mountain again. Drew has been great and I fully expect him to take it back sometime in 2021 but it’s simply Orton’s time.
Winner: Orton
Roman Reigns (c) w/Paul Heyman vs. Jey Uso (WWE Universal Championship)
WWE
Shane: Besides the ladder match, this is the match I am most looking forward to seeing Sunday night. Roman Reigns has been gold since he returned at Summerslam. I hope to see him come in, new ring gear and all, and absolutely destroy Jey Uso.
Winner: (and STILL WWE Universal Champion) Roman Reigns
Jason: This is the whole reason to watch the show, as the new and improved Roman Reigns is the best thing going in American wrestling at the moment. I’m also super excited for Jey Uso to get a shot at a single’s title, as I’ve always felt he (and his brother) are totally capable of being solo stars in their own right. That being said, I just hope he gets in some offense against big cuz, cause Roman is going to MURDER Uso out there this weekend. I’m really excited to see how they handle this and where the story goes from here. Roman forever!
Winner: Roman Reigns
Jay: This is going to be a massacre. Roman is going to go full Lesnar on Jey and it’s going to be wonderful. Roman is going to solidify himself as a dastardly heel and legit shape the booking of SmackDown or whatever show he’s placed on to the core.
Winner: Roman Reigns
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