WWE Clash of Champions Recap and Spoilers

We finally made it! After 12 months of devout fanship, we reached the end of WWE‘s calendar. Even better, just in case Santa Claus is light on the presents this year, WWE crafted a sneaky good card for the SmackDown’s 2017 swan song: Clash of Champions.

Centered around the juiciest storyline in WWE, Shane McMahon vs. Daniel Bryan, Clash of Champions promised to be more significant than most December pay-per-views. With the Royal Rumble right around the corner, that means that WrestleMania season is looming and the rivalry between Shane and Daniel reeks of New Orleans.

However there was more to Clash of Champions than just front office drama, SmackDown had everyone one of its titles on the line. But how many would actually change hands?

Well, we have the results and proper reaction to every match from the card. Check it out:

Mojo Rawley vs. Zack Ryder

After teasing a break up more than your average middle school couple, the Hype Bros finally became enemies. While Zack Ryder has had his moments in WWE, this split always favored Mojo Rawley and their match at Clash of Champions proved this.

Mojo debuted, new music, new tights, a new ring entrance, and a new finisher en route to pinning is ex-partner. Although it was tucked away on the pre-show, the Boston crowd received the short match warmly. 

While Ryder got in parts of his arsenal, the bout was centered on making Mojo look bigger and better. WWE accomplished this and Mojo is set for a mid-card singles to push. 

As for Ryder, well, he may have to join The Ascension. 

United States Championship: Baron Corbin (c) vs. Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler:

According to the internet (and Dolph Ziggler himself), the Show Off’s time in WWE is officially terminal. However, Clash of Champions may have just prolonged his stay.

In a big surprise, Ziggler became US Champion during his triple threat match with Baron Corbin and Bobby Roode. The match was short, but packed with loads of goodies that the Boston crowd simply could not get enough of. 

Even though many fans were ready to start a Go Fund Me for Ziggler’s severance package, there’s a chance that he sticks around through WrestleMania as US Champion, likely to put over Bobby Roode one last time. 

 

Tag Team Championship: The Usos (c) vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin, The New Day and Rusev & Aiden English:

SmackDown has done a wonderful job of resuscitating tag team wrestling in WWE. The resurgence of the Usos was a big part the renaissance, and to reward their perseverance, WWE will keep them Champions as they march into 2018.

The Usos successfully kept their SmackDown belts at Clash of Champions after a highly entertaining 8-man tag match. While the Usos will leave as champions, perhaps the real winners were Rusev and Aiden English who have officially become SmackDown’s most beloved duo, or at least that’s the case in Boston.

We also must mention Chad Gable. The 31-year old flashed incredible strength by issuing back to back German suplexes to Rusev and Big E. It was a moment that WWE fans will not be forgetting.

Where WWE takes the Usos from here is still anyone’s guess. But for my guess, I think a program with Rusev and Aiden English will start as soon as Tuesday. 

SmackDown Women’s Championship: Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Natalya (Lumberjack Match):

For the most part, Lumberjack matches are a great opportunity to use the bathroom. It turns out Lumberjill matches are only slightly better entertainment. 

Charlotte Flair is still your SmackDown Women’s Champion after she submitted Natalya with a Figure 8. Chaos did break out beforehand as there were several mob moments that saw a both Charlotte and Naomi land some nice acrobatics. 

There was some sentiment leading into Clash of Champions that Sunday would be the ideal opportunity for Carmella to finally cash her Money in the Bank contract, but that never happened. She did tease it briefly as if to remind the WWE Universe she has the capability, but in the end, it was just a hollow moment.

After the dust cleared, Natalya delivered an emotional promo saying that the WWE Universe turned their backs on her, and now it was her turn. She rolled out of the ring, literally in tears. So I guess she quit? 

The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Breezango

Perhaps no one has garnered more goodwill from WWE’s fan base than Breezango in 2017. Thanks to their hard work and consistent comedy, WWE rewarded them with a pay-per-view match against the freshly formed Bludgeon Brothers.

It was actually more of an execution. 

The barbarous pair that is Luke Harper and Erik Rowan made quick work of Tyler Breeze and Fandango in their first pay-per-view match. 

There wasn’t much here to discuss, other than The Bludgeon Brothers would be much better off if it was 1988.

Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. Randy Orton & Shinsuke Nakamura

With so many characters harboring conflicting intentions, we knew this match would get weird. 

And it did. 

Having two referees is a recipe for disaster and after Kevin Owens knocked Daniel Bryan into Shane McMahon’s 3-count, this match went off the rails. 

Thinking that Bryan interfered on his own accord, Shane got his revenge by intentionally not counting three on Sami Zayn’s attempt to pin Randy Orton. This was the biggest moment of the match as Zayn, Bryan, and the Boston crowd collectively dropped their jaws at Shane’s dirty play. 

From there, Bryan and Shane would go nose to nose as would actually start a shoving match. Sami saw this as the perfect opportunity to roll up Orton and Bryan popped down for an incredibly quick 1-2-3.

Tonight proved that Shane is willing to confiscate his morals in his vendetta against Owens and Zayn, but he’s going to have to go through Daniel Bryan.

Good stuff, WWE.

WWE Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Jinder Mahal

If fans have learned anything in 2017, it’s that WWE is happy to use Jinder Mahal as a troll. That fear had most of the WWE Universe skittish about tonight’s WWE Championship match between AJ Styles and Jinder.

However, fear not, AJ Styles is still your WWE Champion.

Mahal dominated the first half of the match as he went to work on AJ Style’s knee. However the Phenomenal one overcame not just Mahal’s brutality, but the slimy ways of the Singh Brothers en route to tapping out the Modern Day Maharaja with a prolonged calf crusher. 

Tonight’s win does more than just assure Styles stays Champion into 2018, it likely means he’ll hold the title to, if not through, WrestleMania.