WWE’s Clash at the Castle marks the company’s first UK stadium pay-per-view since the 1992 SummerSlam event. The six-match card takes place this afternoon and features six main card matches, headlined by the long-awaited Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre. Elsewhere on the card, Sheamus will look to finally become a Grand Slam Champion by taking on Intercontinental Champion Gunther, Liv Morgan will try to keep her SmackDown Women’s Championship reign alive against Shayna Baszler and Bianca Belair will join forces with Asuka and Alexa Bliss to try and stop Bayley’s new faction.
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Who walks out the winner of each match? We’ve assembled ComicBook’s team of pro wrestling writers to give their predictions and break down the biggest questions heading into the show. Check out their picks below!
Will Drew McIntyre End the Show as World Champion? If So, How?
Connor Casey: I have yet to hear a convincing argument as to why Reigns’ championship reign should continue past this point. A match with The Rock at WrestleMania doesn’t need a championship on the line — Rock has personally told this very website he won’t come back for a championship reign — and the mistake of unifying the two world championships can finally be fixed. Have Drew win, soak in the adulation of probably the loudest crowd reaction we’ll hear all year, then have him relinquish the Universal title on Raw and become the Red Brand’s top guy while holding the WWE Championship.
Matt Aguilar: While I do think the time to split the Titles is fast approaching, I just don’t think that happens at Clash at the Castle. Drew is still over and definitely could do it, but I don’t think it happens. Perhaps this is when we finally get the Solo Sikoa call-up to shake up The Bloodline and make McIntyre look strong coming out of the match, as Reigns had to bring in another guy just to keep his Title reign moving forward. I do hope the split happens soon, but I don’t think the first step towards that happens here.
Evan Valentine: Is there anything that can stop Roman Reigns at this point? I’m genuinely asking because I have no idea how much longer this reign can continue while still being interesting. I think Roman needs to be taken down a peg but Clash At The Castle doesn’t feel like the place to do it. If this match were happening at Survivor Series, I might lean a little more toward Drew.
Nick Valdez: I don’t really think so! Drew’s a beast and all, but his time has passed. He definitely deserves a proper non-pandemic era title run someday, but there are so many other interesting players involved in the top title picture now that his win would seem a little weak. It’s a huge stage for Drew, and a loss would ultimately better serve him in the long run heading into the rest of the year.
Tim Adams: I know there has been a lot of buzz regarding Roman Reigns finally dropping a strap, but I don’t see that happening. The only person currently on the roster that has a chance to dethrone The Tribal Chief is Cody Rhodes, and a person not on the active roster is Dwayne Johnson. I’ll be the pessimist of the group.
Charlie Ridgely: Drew doesn’t feel like “the guy” to bring Roman’s title reign to an end, but it does feel like the perfect situation. It will come down to a typical scenario with the Bloodline, one in which the Usos aren’t as successful in assisting the Tribal Chief. When Roman loses, it creates a schism in the Bloodline, prompting Solo’s call-up and giving them a compelling story that doesn’t need any hardware. That, or they’ll find a way to split up the titles.
Christian Hoffer: It’s definitely time for Roman to drop the belt, but Drew McIntyre doesn’t seem like the right choice. There’s not a lot of history between Roman and Drew and I would much rather seen Roman finally eating a loss to someone who either serves as a fitting foil for Roman or who could be a “next face” for the WWE. Drew doesn’t need the rub from beating Roman and he just doesn’t seem like the right fit for this story.
Is There a Way to Right The Ship on Liv’s Title Reign? Or Should They Abandon It Here?
Connor: The mishandling of Morgan’s title reign is a shame, but it seems like Shayna Baszler vs. Ronda Rousey is the direction we’re heading toward. The easiest option is to have her lose the title here and either rehab her position as a babyface or turn her.
Matt: The question suggests there is something wrong with the Title reign as is, which I don’t believe is true. The next step for her arc however should happen here, as they either need to step back into more face territory or lean into her being a heel by cheating to win. Ronda Rousey vs Shayna Baszler seems to be the next feud for both parties, and there doesn’t need to be a Title at the center of that to make the feud interesting, so hoping they keep the Title on Morgan.
Evan: I don’t mind Liv’s current reign, it’s still fresh but her losing the title against Shayna might add an interesting wrinkle to the proceedings. We’re in a post-Vince McMahon world and it feels like a lot more can happen in the future of the WWE because of it, including here. I’m looking forward to Morgan defending the title at the Castle.
Nick: Unless they steer further into her cheating to win or something like that, there’s no real lasting power to her accidental wins continuing. We all love an underdog, but somehow her title reign has undercut it. The right way to steer would be to end it.
Tim: Giving Liv Morgan some dominant wins would be a start, but right now I don’t see that happening. So the right course would be to have her drop the title to someone, and then rebuild Liv’s character so she’s better set up for success down the road.
Charlie: Liv had such a great thing going, and the fans were fully into her title reign. But that ending at SummerSlam is hard to come back from. I think the only way to right the ship is for her to lose the title and eventually win it back, this time in a legit match without briefcases or controversies. Bonus points if Rhea can be the person she takes a title from.
Hoffer: WWE doesn’t know how to book underdog face champions. They couldn’t do it with Becky during her first run, they couldn’t do it with Johnny Gargano when he was NXT Champion, and they couldn’t do it with Kofi Kingston. It’d be better for Liv to drop the title and get momentum back as she chases the title. It’s not Liv’s fault that she got sucked into the charisma and story vortex that is Ronda Rousey, but a reset would be a great way to get the fans back on her side.
Do Sasha & Noami Return at Some Point During The Show?
Connor: Since the tag titles aren’t involved in that six-woman tag match, my guess is they hold off until this week’s Raw at the earliest.
Matt: Before last week I was thinking that it could very well happen, and while it still might, it does seem like Raw or SmackDown will be the place where Sasha and Naomi ultimately return. Raquel and Aliyah don’t even have a match on the card, so if they did return it would possibly be after the Six-Woman Tag Match, but that wouldn’t really connect like them coming back during or after a match for the Titles they previously held.
Evan: This is another one that I could see being saved for Survivor Series. Imagine hyping up a four-woman team and then having Sasha and Naomi joining in as mystery guests. That would receive quite the pop in the wrestling world. I don’t know what it is about Clash At The Castle specifically, but it doesn’t feel like an event that will necessarily drop bombs when it comes to major changes in the WWE.
Nick: I’m good on that, thanks! Raw or SmackDown instead!
Tim: It would be interesting to have Sasha Banks and Naomi return as heels to attack the new Women’s Tag Team Champions, Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah. There is a segment of the WWE Universe that is against Sasha and Naomi for “not being professional” and walking away from the company, so what better way to bring even more heat on them than by viciously attacking the team that replaced them as champions?
Charlie: I want to say yes, but I think that’s being saved for Monday night. Aliyah and Raquel are transitional champions at best, and it feels like they’re only in the place they’re in to keep the belts warm for the real champs.
Hoffer: Since All Out is the following night, I feel like the WWE will want to do something splashy at Clash of the Castle. If they’re not going to unfurl the Gordian Knot that is Roman’s Undisputed Championship run, bringing back Naomi and Sasha would certainly be a way to make this weekend’s conversation about the WWE instead of AEW.
Will Sheamus Finally Become a Grand Slam Champion?
Connor: Both of Nashville’s favorite adopted sons (Drew & Sheamus) are walking out with gold!
Matt: It would be cool, but don’t think that’s happening, at least not here. Gunther’s reign still has lots of life left and is still relatively early, so having him go down here would do more harm than good. I think it does happen for Sheamus at some point though.
Evan: Lord knows he’s earned it. I’m rooting for Sheamus here, he’s been with the company for so long and really put in the work along the way. While I don’t see him becoming World Champion any time soon, if ever again, the Intercontinental Title seems like a great belt for his resume.
Nick: Love Sheamus, and his winning the IC would be a great look for his crew. But at the same time, Gunther really can’t lose his first big event as defending champion.
Tim: Let’s give it up for Sheamus, one of the more unlikely future Grand Slam Champions in WWE history. Sheamus is a seasoned vet and would continue to have banger matches against anyone he defended the Intercontinental championship against. Plus, Sheamus and Gunther can continue their feud with some gimmick matches, swapping the championship back and forth.
Charlie: Like Drew, this situation almost feels too good to be true. Then again, Sheamus deserves it. His matches have been consistently great as WWE transitioned between the Vince and Triple H eras and this would be an awesome way to acknowledge that. Plus, being the heel that he is, Sheamus winning a title could provide an opportunity for him to kick the Brutes to the curb, allowing Pete Dunne to get his real name and gimmick back. A build to a Dunne/Sheamus program would be a lot of fun to watch.
Hoffer: Sheamus is great and I’m not going to begrudge him any success he gets with this program. Still, Gunther is still relatively fresh to most WWE fans and I feel like he needs a dominant (and much longer) run for fans to buy into his gimmick. I think Sheamus eventually gets the Intercontinental Championship, but not this weekend.
How Does This Bizarre Dominick/Rhea Angle End?
Connor: Send Dominick down to NXT. It feels like having Rey drag him along on Raw has stunted his development.
Matt: Man, I really have no clue. Perhaps this is how they wear him down and ultimately turn him against his father, something that everyone’s predicted for years now.
Evan: Judgment Day needs to keep being built up as a faction and having Rhea wail on Dominick a bit more is certainly one way to do that. A solo match between the two at Extreme Rules would be AMAZING and crossing the male and female worlds of the WWE should happen more often.
Nick: Dominick on a pole match, custody of Dominick match, it would all just be gravy. I’m still holding out hope that Legado will end up involved somehow and gives Dominick a way to push back against Judgment Day. But honestly, I think I would like to see Dom betraying his dad, putting on a black luchador mask and becoming a new Judgment Day member.
Tim: I don’t really see Dominick joining Judgement Day, mostly because it does nothing for the group. However, a growing infatuation between the two that’s based on Rhea constantly beating on Dominick would be intriguing. I really have no idea where things will go, but I’m enjoying the angle so far.
Charlie: They have to fight. They have to fight and Rhea has to win. She could beat any of the men involved in this feud but seeing her beat up on Dom would be the most satisfying.
Hoffer: Frankly, we should get a Rey Mysterio/Rhea Ripley “Winner Gets Custody of Dominick” match. Afterward, Dominick should see if Karrion Kross’s old mask and leathers are still in WWE storage, because he’s going to need them.
Give Me Three Matches for Extreme Rules That Spin Out From Saturday’s Show
Connor: Drew McIntyre vs. a returning Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins for the vacated Universal Championship, Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler
Matt: Ronda Rousey vs Shayna Baszler, Sami Zayn vs Jey Uso (Full Membership into the Bloodline on the line), Karrion Kross vs Drew McIntyre
Evan: Liv Morgan Vs Ronda Rousey (Let’s be real, its going to happen again sooner rather than later), Judgement Day Vs The New Day: War of the Days, Seth Rollins Vs. Sheamus for Intercontinental Title.
Nick: Shayna Baszler vs. Liv Morgan vs. Ronda Rousey, Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre runback, Bianca, Sasha, Naomi vs. CTRL.
Tim: Roman Reigns defending one of his championships against Drew McIntyre in a Cage Match to keep The Bloodline from interfering; Sasha Banks & Naomi vs. Raquel Rodriguez & Aliyah for the Women’s Tag Team Championship in a Tables Match; and Riddle vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins in a 2/3 Falls Match.
Charlie: Sheamus vs. Pete Dunne (if we stop calling him Butch maybe they will too) in a Belfast Brawl for the Intercontinental Championship; Street Profits & Hit Row vs. Maximum Male Models & Los Lotharios in a TLC match; Sami Zayn vs. Jey Uso in a Last Man Standing match
Hoffer: Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens vs. the Usos in a Ladder Match, Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns in an Extreme Rules match, and Bianca Belair vs. Bayley in a Last Woman Standing match.
Predictions
Connor:
- Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Drew McIntyre def. Roman Reigns
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Liv Morgan def. Shayna Baszler
- Intercontinental Championship: Sheamus def. Gunther
- Bayley, Dakota Kai & Iyo Sky def. Bianca Belair, Asuka & Alexa Bliss
- Matt Riddle def. Seth Rollins
- Edge & Rey Mysterio def. Finn Balor & Damian Priest
Matt:
- Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns def. Drew McIntyre
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Liv Morgan def. Shayna Baszler
- Intercontinental Championship: Gunther def. Sheamus
- Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky def. Bianca Belair, Asuka, & Alexa Bliss
- Seth Rollins def. Matt Riddle
- Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. Finn Balor & Damian Priest
Evan:
- Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns Def. Drew McIntyre
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler Def. Liv Morgan
- Intercontinental Championship: Sheamus Def. Gunther
- Bianca Belair, Asuka, & Alexa Bliss Def. Bianca Belair, Dakota Kai & Iyo Sky
- Seth Rollins Def. Riddle
- Finn Balor & Damian Priest Def. Mysterios
Nick:
- Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns def. Drew McIntyre
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler def. Liv Morgan
- Intercontinental Championship: Gunther def. Sheamus
- Bayley, Dakota Kai & Iyo Sky def. Bianca Belair, Asuka, & Alexa Bliss
- Seth Rollins def. Matt Riddle
- Finn Balor & Damian Priest def. Edge & Rey Mysterio
Tim:
- Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns def. Drew McIntyre
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler def. Liv Morgan
- Intercontinental Championship: Gunther def. Sheamus
- Bayley, Dakota Kai & Iyo Sky def. Bianca Belair, Asuka & Alexa Bliss
- Matt Riddle vs. Seth Rollins ends in a No Contest
- Edge & Rey Mysterio def. Finn Balor & Damian Priest
Charlie:
- Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Drew McIntyre def. Roman Reigns
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler def. Liv Morgan
- Intercontinental Championship: Sheamus def. Gunther
- Bayley, Dakota Kai & Iyo Sky def. Bianca Belair, Asuka, & Alexa Bliss
- Seth Rollins def. Matt Riddle
- Finn Balor & Damian Priest def. Edge & Rey Mysterio
Hoffer:
- Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns def. Drew McIntyre
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler def. Liv Morgan
- Intercontinental Championship: Gunther def. Sheamus
- Bianca Belair, Dakota Kai & Iyo Sky def. Bianca Belair, Asuka, & Alexa Bliss
- Seth Rollins def. Matt Riddle
- Finn Balor & Damian Priest def. Edge & Rey Mysterio
