WWE Clash of Champions 2020
Main Show
- INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP LADDER MATCH: JEFF HARDY (c) vs. SAMI ZAYN (c) vs. AJ STYLES
Jeff Hardy starts the match out on top with a couple of splashes in the corner and then a bulldog/clothesline combination on both men at the same time. As Jeff tries to bring in a ladder, AJ Styles kicks it into him and then leaps off to attack him.
However, Sami Zayn follows that up, springboarding from the top rope down to AJ, and he uses the ladder first, launching it into the back of Jeff Hardy and then AJ. Inside the ring, Jeff gets some instant revenge by hitting a backdrop to Sami, who bounces off a ladder propped up onto the top rope.
Hardy then sets up that ladder upside down in the ring, but Jeff gets caught up in the middle of it when AJ side-steps him as Jeff launches off the second rope, which snaps the middle support of the ladder. AJ then launches Sami into the ladder in the corner, and he bounces everywhere with a crazy bump.
Styles then tries to climb the ladder, but Sami drags him down to be hit with a Pele kick. Styles then goes back to the top as he and Jeff Hardy begin brawling at the top, but Jeff Hardy is launched to the floor.
Somehow, Hardy gets back and drags him down, and AJ starts lighting him up with strikes, but Hardy responds with an atomic drop and then a basement dropkick.
Zayn then comes back in and disposes of both men, but as he gets up to the ladder, AJ pulls him away, only for Zayn to hit an exploder suplex to AJ, who lands directly onto the ladder in the corner. Zayn then tries to climb again, but Jeff stops him, and the two men brawl to the outside.
Sami launches Jeff into a ladder on the barricade, and AJ then gets back into the action as well, with all three men showing the wounds of war. AJ tries to launch himself off the steps into Jeff Hardy, but he moves, and AJ hits the barricade, with Jeff then repeating the move, hitting poetry of motion into the barricade.
But as Jeff recovers from hitting the move, he turns and is nailed with the Helluva Kick! However, as Sami is climbing, AJ launches a smaller ladder at him, sending Sami down to the floor. AJ and Jeff begin climbing the ladder but both men end up falling as the ladder comes down, with each man smashing onto the ropes.
Sami then begins climbing and AJ looks to springboard onto the ladder, but Jeff pushes it and hits AJ in the face. Hardy then hits the Twist of Fate to Sami, and all three men are down. Jeff is first up and on the ladder, as Sami tilts the ladder backward.
Jeff tries to climb and slither down the other side, but then Sami pushes it back which leads to a really awkward landing over the top ropes as the ladder crushes him. Sami then sets up a bridge ladder between the announce table and the ring and he and Styles begin fighting around it.
AJ then launches himself off the announce table with the moonsault into the reverse DDT on the floor. Styles then sets up Sami onto the ladder but it falls, so he slams Zayn onto the announce table and resets it. However, during that, Jeff Hardy returns and smashes a ladder into the face of AJ.
Jeff then sets up another ladder and he climbs to the top and nails a Swanton Bomb to Sami, through the ladder! Styles takes advantage of the situation and sets up a ladder in the ring, however, Jeff makes it back in time and pushes the ladder away.
Sami somehow makes it back and begins launching Hardy into the barricade multiple times. He then goes to his ring jacket, where he has two sets of handcuffs! However, instead of putting it onto Hardy’s hand, he puts it through Hardy’s stretched ear lobe and connects it to a ladder.
Zayn then tries to handcuff Styles as well, but he fights back and nails a suplex. However, as they brawl, Sami handcuffs himself to AJ so neither of them can climb a ladder. Styles tries to climb it but Zayn is just dead weight. Meanwhile, Jeff is back on his feet with the ladder connected to his ear.
AJ climbs the ladder with Sami on his shoulders, and as Jeff fights AJ, Sami uses a key and unlocks the handcuff and ties AJ to the ladder. With both men stuck, Sami Zayn pulls down the titles to win a crazy ladder match!
Winner (and still Intercontinental Champion): Sami Zayn in 26 minutes.
Match Review: 4.75/5. Holy Shi!. Match of the year right there. In the early 40s, Jeff Hardy can take better bumps than anyone else on the WWE roster. This was poetry in motion. They did some big spots throughout the fight, including Jeff Hardy, who did some crazy spots like that Swanton Bomb through a table and that other hit Hardy did where he was taking Sami in the process. I am happy for Sami Zayn. He is one of the very best in the business. Twenty-six minutes of hardcore action.
RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
ASUKA (c) vs ZELINA VEGA
Early on, Asuka toys with Zelina Vega, but she uses some unique offense to take a shot at Asuka’s arm. The champion ends up taking control, though, locking in an armbar, but Vega manages to make it to the rope just in time.
Vega manages to push down Asuka to the mat from the second floor, but Asuka regains control with a hip attack, which sends Zelina to the outside. However, she goads in the champion and drags the champ into the steel stairs.
Back in the ring, Vega continues to work on Asuka’s arm, slamming it down to the mat as she then overstretches Asuka’s arm with a submission. The champion powers out though and tries for another hip attack, but Vega moves and she uses the ropes to lock in a submission on Asuka as she then hits a hurricanrana and the double knee attack in the corner.
Vega tries for the backstabber, but Asuka refuses. However, Vega does take her down and then hits a big kick to the face as she then goes for several pinfall attempts. But, out of nowhere, Asuka manages to transition into the Asuka Lock to retain.
Winner (and still champion): Asuka in 7:02 minutes
Match Review: 3/5. This match was Okay but way better than my expectations. I thought it would be a typical squash, but we got to see an even match with Vega getting a lot of offense. Asuka retaining was expected.
- UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: BOBBY LASHLEY (c) vs APOLLO CREWS
Bobby Lashley starts out in firm control of this one, dropping Apollo Crews with a shoulder tackle. However, the challenge manages to topple Bobby, sending him out of the ring as he follows up with a standing moonsault to the outside.
Back into the ring, he nails a big crossbody, but it doesn’t take Lashley long to turn things around with several forearms as he pushes him down onto the ropes. Lashley then connects with a suplex and Apollo spills to the floor to get a break.
Lashley then tries to throw Apollo into the ring post, but he slips off and sends the champion face-first into it. In the ring, Apollo connects with a big splash and then an elbow strike which sends Lashley out of the ring yet again.
Apollo then presses up Lashley and drops him to the mat, following up with the standing moonsault, yet Lashley kicks out. However, when they go to the top rope, it is Lashley in control with the superplex, only for
Apollo to kick out this time.
Apollo fights back and this time it’s him hitting a big move with the Frog Splash, but Bobby kicks out and then follows it by driving Crews into the canvas. He then gets the Hurt Lock set in and Lashley gets the win.
Winner (and still champion): Bobby Lashley in 8:15 minutes.
Match review: 2.5/5. Again a predictable match but better than my expectations. Bobby Lashley winning was given, but it was again an evenly timed match where Apollo kept closing to winning a couple of times. Decent match, nothing special!
- RAW TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: THE STREET PROFITS (c) vs ANDRADE & ANGEL GARZA
Andrade and Angel Garza start out in form until Andrade just runs into a big shoulder tackle and then a dropkick from Angelo Dawkins. Montez Ford comes in and hits several dropkicks, but as he goes for another, Garza holds onto Andrade when he hits the ropes.
The challengers then both work together to attack Ford several times with Andrade holding Ford on the apron while Garza charges in with a kick to the face. Ford finally can make the tag though, and Dawkins picks up the pace with an elbow to Garza’s face as Andrade gets launched across the ring.
He follows it up with his spinning splash in the corner, but Andrade then reverses with a picture-perfect dropkick. However, Andrade misses with the double knees as he connects with a big spine buster. However, Garza makes a blind tag and kicks Dawkins out of the ring.
Ford tags in prior to that and the two men end up on the top rope as Garza nails the Spanish Fly! Ford then looks for a tag but Andrade pulls away Dawkins and Angel then hits a big knee strike. However, the WWE official throws up the X signal, and Andrade comes in and hits the double knees.
Dawkins finally gets to tag in though and he connects with a major spine buster and Andrade appears to kick out just in time, but the official counts to three anyway. A sloppy finish which clearly comes through Garza being injured, but the champions retain.
Winners (and still champions): The Street Profits in 8:20 minutes
Match Review: 2.75/5. We have seen this match numerous times already. The match was hurt because of the lack of uniqueness. Nothing to take away from the Wrestlers though, they fought well, and the match was a decent fast-paced bout. WWE Tag Team Division is relatively thin right now. We need New Teams.
- SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: BAYLEY (c) vs ASUKA
Asuka attacks Bayley straight away and hits a German suplex with the champion heading out of the ring. Bayley the looks to leave but Asuka puts her back in and connects with a hip attack, but Bayley kicks out. She fights back and hits a back body drop as she then stomps away on the Raw Women’s Champion.
Bayley then plants Asuka to the ring but as she tries to jump from the second rope, Asuka responds and that sends Bayley out of the ring. However she pulls Asuka from the apron head-first onto the ring, but Asuka turns things around and hits a German suplex on the outside.
However, Bayley then uses a steel chair to attack Asuka on the outside.
Winner: Asuka via DQ (However, Bayley retains.) in 3:45 minutes
As Bayley looks to brag about still being champion, she gets nailed with a steel chair by…SASHA BANKS!!! Banks tries to keep up the attack but Bayley kicks her away with the injured Banks struggling. Bayley then sets up a chair but she trash talks too long and Banks ends up wielding the kendo stick as she beats down on the champion.
Banks tries to use a steel chair again, but Bayley manages to scurry away up the ramp to avoid it.
Match Review: 2/5. They used the resources they have in their hands to give us a replacement to the original Bayley’s match. This was all about the after match segment. Sasha is not 100% yet, and we have to wait to see what’s next in store for both Bayley and Sasha. Hell in a Cell main event? Maybe.
- WWE CHAMPIONSHIP AMBULANCE MATCH: DREW MCINTYRE (c) vs RANDY ORTON
Straight away the two men take the fight to each other with Drew McIntyre throwing hands and chops to take control early on. However, Randy Orton seizes an opportunity that is presented to him and he nails his draped DDT.
Orton looks set to nail the Punt kick, but then someone grabs his foot… it’s BIG SHOW. The World’s Largest Athlete drags him out of the ring and nails a Chokeslam through the table. McIntyre then starts brawling with Orton all the way towards the ambulance, dominating the Viper by launching him into the barricade.
They get to the vehicle and McIntyre throws Orton head-first into the ambulance door. He pulls out a chair and just starts attacking the Viper with it several times, but as he tries again, Orton uses a crutch to attack Drew several times.
He then gets the chair and pushes it down on the injured jaw of Drew as he opens up one of the doors. Both men then brawl into the ambulance, but they then fight back out of it to keep the match alive. Orton then throws Drew into the side of the ambulance, with Drew responding with a Glasgow Kiss!
With the ambulance door open, Drew tries to hit the Claymore Kick but Orton moves and the WWE Champion takes the door clean off in the process. The brawl then goes into the backstage area where Drew continues to hit several right hands to Orton who is sliding around on an office chair.
Randy responds by launching Orton into a wall, however Christian then appears! He attacks the Viper and launches him across the tables nearby and beats down on Randy! McIntyre then takes Orton back towards the ambulance and they brawl on the bonnet.
Orton attacks the eye of Drew and then slams McIntyre into the windshield, smashing the glass in the process. They head to the top of the ambulance and Drew ends up hanging on with one hand as there is a true Lion King moment as Orton kicks him to the floor.
However, as Orton turns around he eats a Sweet Chin Music by Shawn Michaels who launches the Viper off the ambulance! More revenge for former Punt Kick victims. They both head to the ambulance door, but Orton nails an RKO!
Randy gets the champion inside the ambulance and shuts one of the doors, but Drew fights back before the last door can be shut and uses a thumb to the eye to escape. McIntyre then hits the Claymore Kick! Orton gets tossed into the ambulance but doesn’t shut the door. Instead, McIntyre pulls him half out and sets up for a Punt Kick of his own!
The WWE Champion slams the doors shut and retains his gold!
Winner (and still champion): Drew McIntyre in 21 minutes
Oh, and who is driving the ambulance away? Woo! The Nature Boy is the man in the driving seat.
Match Review: 4/5. A fun match with Big Show, Shawn Michaels, and Captain Charisma returning to avenge Orton’s ‘Punt.’ It was a decisive win for Drew McIntyre that will probably be the end of this rivalry.
- UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: ROMAN REIGNS (c) vs. JEY USO
The two men lock up to start things off with Roman Reigns then launching Jey Uso across the ring with his strength advantage. Jey then avoids Roman’s attack and does a little dance, which only frustrates the Tribal Chief, as Uso heads to the outside.
When he gets back into the ring, Roman levels Jey with a clothesline as he then talks trash towards him and starts belittling his cousin. Reigns pulls him on the ropes, using the full five count until he nails a huge right hand that sends Jey to the floor.
The two men begin brawling on the outside and they both throw some massive right hands as Roman then restarts the count and smashes Jey into the announce table. Back in the ring, Jey shows some fight back with a Samoan Drop, which gains him a near fall.
Jey looks to channel his father by launching himself into the corner, but the Universal Champion reverses by hitting the Superman Punch! He spills to the outside and Roman follows him, with the two men throwing right hands towards each other, but once again it is Roman who dominates.
Jey continues to try fight back with a chop, but Roman seems unphased and then just levels Jey with a clothesline, knocking him straight down. Jey manages to avoid Roman though, sending him into the turnbuckles as he then clotheslines Roman out of the ring.
Uso launches himself out with a suicide dive and then he nails an enziguri and another suicide dive, with Jey Uso showcasing he still has plenty of fight left here! Back in the ring, Uso connects with a crossbody and then a big superkick, but Roman kicks out at the last second.
Roman responds again though with a new move which is a running vertical leg drop. Roman then sets up for a Spear, but Jey reverses with a roll-up. Reigns kicks out but gets nailed with a Superkick and Uso then hits a Frog Splash but Roman kicks out!
However, during the kick out, Roman actually nails a low blow with his arm, which he then starts smiling about. He then nails a big Spear and he keeps talking trash and hits another Spear as he takes Jey to the camera and demands he tells them that this is his WWE.
Jey says no and while Paul Heyman says he is the Tribal Chief, Roman says he needs Jey to acknowledge it. Roman then snaps and just starts firing down forearms onto him repeatedly. Jimmy Uso then makes his way down and teases throwing in the towel, but Jey tells him not to do it.
Roman drags Jey away from his brother and continues throwing down punches until Jimmy throws in the towel, questioning why he was doing that as they are family. Jimmy tells Roman that he’s the Tribal Chief, and he gets Paul Heyman to put on the flower necklace that Jey originally wore.
Winner: Roman Reigns in 23 minutes
Match Review: 4/5. I am surprised to see a longer match with Jummy/Jey getting all the world’s offenses. This is surprisingly good, and at one point, even Roman Reigns seems vulnerable. That was incredibly effective and well done by everyone involved. I loved the story behind this match. This solidifies Roman Reigns’ heel turn.
WWE Clash of Champions: Gold Rush 2020 Rating: 8/10
Three Stars of the Show
- Sami Zayn/Jeff Hardy/AJ Styles
- Drew McIntyre/Randy Orton
- Roman Reigns/Jey Uso
I chose 7 because they all deserved it.
