WWE Clash of Champions 2017 Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades

Photo Source: WWE.com

United States Championship Match

Baron Corbin (c) vs. Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler

Result: Dolph Ziggler pinned Baron Corbin to become the new United States Champion

Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

Dolph Ziggler rightfully receives a lot of praise for his ability to sell an opponent’s offense. But as impressive as Ziggler can be in that respect, Bobby Roode may have one-upped him tonight. While Dolph bumps like a maniac, Roode really made it seem like Corbin was ripping him apart. Crumpling to the mat after a head shot, writhing in agony after getting hit in the back – it was glorious (pun totally intended).

This was a solid choice to open the main show. On the kickoff, Mojo Rawley defeated Zack Ryder in a match that was way better than it had any right to be. Following that up with the triple threat worked well. The one concern I had was that it was a by-the-numbers WWE triple threat match. You know the type – one guy gets knocked to the floor and stays there for ten minutes, when he comes back someone else goes to the floor, a Tower of Doom spot thrown in, and then a finish.

But it works here. There are three very different styles of wrestler at play here, so mixing them all together would amount to chaos. Breaking it up into a series of mini singles matches keeps things fresh.

The callback to how Corbin won the title back at Hell in a Cell was great – remember, he capitalized on AJ Styles having Tye Dillinger beaten. Tonight, he went to snake the pin from Roode after the Glorious DDT – only for Roode to see it coming and toss Corbin out. But Baron pulled him out of the ring and softened him up on the floor before taking things back into the ring.

Yet another callback (also involving Styles) saw Ziggler turning Corbin’s End of Days on Roode into a Zig Zag – picking up the victory and the championship in the process. It’s an interesting call on two counts – Corbin seemed to be in a groove as champ, and if he were to lose it made more sense to pull the trigger on Roode. But Dolph gets another shot at a midcard title run, something he has excelled at in the past.

Overall, a solid opening contest that set the tone for the rest of the show.