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

Photo Source: WWE.com

SmackDown Women’s Championship Lumberjack Match

Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Natalya

Result: Charlotte defeated Natalya via submission

Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

One underrated aspect about this match: the fact that it’s billed as a Lumberjack Match. Back in the days of the “Divas Division,” a match like this would have been a Lumberjill Match. (It probably also would have been a pillow fight in evening gowns with the lumberjills surrounding a mud pit, if we’re being honest.) Pretty sure a woman who cuts down trees for a living is just called a lumberjack, so in a world where all competitors are “superstars,” it makes sense to use the same terminology across the board.

And as is the case with just about all Lumberjack Matches, more of the focus was on the superstars outside the ring than those in it. Sure, Charlotte and Natalya put on a decent match, but how much were The Riott Squad getting talked up? How much did Naomi do during the skirmishes between the enforcers outside the ring? It happens so often in these types of matches – the gimmick is more an excuse to further every single storyline at once, and less a way to finish a long feud between two heated rivals.

Somewhat predictably, Carmella entered the ring with the Money in the Bank briefcase. Somewhat unpredictably, she didn’t actually cash in. This type of match seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so, so who knows what’s going on with the case?

All in all, the match was perfectly fine. Natalya cut a strange promo after the fact when she threw a temper tantrum. But in the long run, not much happened. For a match with seven superstars surrounding the ring, it was mostly a straight ahead affair between Charlotte and Nattie.