WWE Clash at the Castle Predictions
Saturdayās Clash at the Castle at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, marks the first WWE stadium show in the United Kingdom since 1992 and the first UK pay-per-view since 2003ās Insurrextion.
While the latter wasnāt much to remember ā Triple H defeated Kevin Nash in a dud of a main event ā the former featured one of the premier matches in WWE history. The last stadium show in the UK, of course, was the 1992 edition of SummerSlam, in which Bret Hart and Davey Boy Smith put on an absolute show in front of 80,000 people at Londonās Wembley Stadium.
At the time of this writing, WWE has announced just six matches for Clash at the Castle, but more will likely be added. And itās certainly going to be difficult for any of them to live up to the instant classic from The Hitman and The British Bulldog.
But letās go ahead and run through our predictions anyway.
Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, and Asuka vs. Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky
Bayleyās new faction took a bit of a hit when Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky took a shocking loss to Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah in the finals of the WWE Womenās Tag Team Championship Tournament this past Monday.
So theyāll need to get some momentum back at Clash at the Castle, and I think theyāll get it done. But the way theyāll get it done might come as a surprise. Itād be a bit of a cop-out not to have Belair and Bayley involved in the finish, right? With all due respect to the other four women in this match, these two are the main attraction.
Belair hasnāt yet been pinned in 2022. But with her Raw Womenās Championship not on the line, itās time for that to change. Bayley pins Belair for the win. It might not be a clean pin, but itāll be a win nonetheless.
Winners: Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky
Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. The Judgment Day
Edge and Rey Mysterio donāt need to win this match. Finn Balor and Damian Priest do. The Judgment Day storyline has been a trainwreck since the beginning, but itās finally starting to get on track since Triple H took over.
At some point, Beth Phoenix and Rhea Ripley will be in one of these matches. At least, Iām thinking everyone hopes thatās the case. For the moment, however, Ripley is busy with Dominik, and that issue will somehow play into the finish of this match.
Look, we all know Dominik will turn on his dad at some point. And while it wouldnāt be a surprise for that to happen at Clash at the Castle, I donāt think it will happen just yet. Iām still looking for Dominik to lose an intergender match to Ripley, at which point he realizes he could grow stronger as a member of Judgment Day.
Keep the story going for the next two months and build to a traditional Survivor Series match. Thatās where a Dominik turn works best. Take that momentum and build toward a Rey vs. Dominik bout at WrestleMania. Book it, Hunter.
Winners: The Judgment Day
Matt Riddle vs. Seth Rollins
Does anyone actually believe thereās going to be a better match on the Clash at the Castle card than Matt Riddle versus Seth Rollins?
Given the highly volatile interaction the two had this past Monday in which Riddle unbelievably allowed Rollins to bring his personal life into the program, the intensity of this bout will be unrivaled on Saturday. And thatās what will be Riddleās downfall. Whether itās via DQ or he just goes to the well one too many times as the match nears its end, his desire to pummel and humiliate Rollins will cost him.
Look, this is only the first of many matches to come between these two. And Rollins, whoās been putting everyone over the last few months (Cody Rhodes, Edge), deserves a win on a big stage. Riddle will get his win at some point, but it wonāt be here.
Winner: Seth Rollins
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Gunther (c) vs. Sheamus
While I genuinely believe Rollins vs. Riddle will be the match of the night, this Intercontinental Championship match between Gunther and Sheamus could conceivably steal the show at Clash at the Castle.
This promises to be a hard-hitting, good old-fashioned slobber knocker between two brutes who know how to get physical. Given all heās done for WWE over the years, Sheamus certainly deserves this spot on a big-time card in the UK. But heās not winning this match.
Triple H is seemingly looking to restore the IC title to its former glory, and heās got the right guy in Gunther. This one likely wonāt last very long, but itāll be fun.
Winner: Gunther retains the Intercontinental Championship
SmackDown Womenās Championship Match: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Shayna Baszler
Liv Morgan certainly hasnāt been booked as a strong SmackDown Womenās Champion since cashing in her Money in the Bank briefcase. Sure, she got a pinfall win over Ronda Rousey at SummerSlam, but that obviously came with the controversial finish where she tapped out simultaneously.
As for Baszler, sheās essentially been an afterthought in the womenās division for quite some time. But Triple H seems intent on building her back up as a vicious heel, so a loss here could be pretty crippling.
Rousey will undoubtedly get involved here, and while you hate to see a screwy finish in a title bout, thatās likely whatās coming as we build toward a Triple Threat down the road.
Winner: Shayna Baszler wins via DQ; Liv Morgan retains the SmackDown Womenās Championship
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
As Drew McIntyre never truly got his big moment ā his WrestleMania win over Brock Lesnar was in front of zero people ā the easy call is the Scottish superstar finally getting it by dethroning Roman Reigns in front of a massive UK crowd.
But thatās exactly what makes me think it wonāt happen.
Reigns has been Universal champ for over two years now, so itās easy to understand why many want to see him lose at Clash of the Castle. And he just might. But not to McIntyre. And he wouldnāt lose both belts. Maybe initially, but not in the end.
Hear me out.
Karrion Kross has been targeting McIntyre for a while now and likely costs him the match and his big moment. Distraction, Roman spear, 1-2-3. But Reigns will be spent. Enter Austin Theory and his Money in the Bank briefcase.
As Theory is going through the process of cashing in, McIntyre gets the better of Kross and turns his attention toward Reigns, taking him out with the Claymore. This allows Theory to pin Reigns to become the undisputed champ. And thatās where Clash at the Castle ends.
Winner: Roman Reigns retains the Undisputed Universal Championship; Austin Theory cashes in MITB briefcase
But weāre not finished with this story.
We all know the titles need to split up as Monday Night Raw currently doesnāt have a world champion. Next week, Paul Heyman disputes Theoryās cash-in, saying the contract only allows the holder to win one title, not two.
As WWE will want to continue Romanās lengthy reign with the Universal Championship, he gets that one back while Theory remains WWE Champion. McIntyre can then take that from him soon, thus setting up a McIntyre-Kross feud for the gold, while Reigns finds a new challenger on the blue brand ā perhaps a returning Braun Strowman or Bray Wyatt.
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