WWE Clash of Champions 2019: Full match card and predictions
By Mark Justice
Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross (c) vs. Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville [WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships]
When Bliss and Cross won the Women’s Tag Team Championships in a Fatal 4 Way Elimination tag match on the Raw before SummerSlam, they then retained their championships against IIconics and Kabuki Warriors individually in the following weeks. The only other tag team they did not individually have a championship match with yet is Fire and Desire.
With no build-up whatsoever, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville defeated Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross in a non-title match on SmackDown Live to earn a championship opportunity at Clash of Champions. They then proceeded to juice up their rushed feud with Bliss and Cross by calling Nikki Cross an ‘ugly rat.’
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When this promo was delivered, many may think that they were watching ‘Total Divas’ or ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ on the E Network. However, they were most certainly watching this abominable promo on WWE SmackDown on the USA network.
If they shut off their television screens and thereby missed out on Chad Gable’s incredible feat in the main event that same night, they should not be blamed for doing so. Nonetheless, this savage heel-like promo by Rose and Deville suggests that Bliss and Cross suddenly turned babyface to maintain the babyface-heel dynamics for this matchup. This face turn will most likely go in their favor with a solid title retention at the PPV.
With the infinitesimal women’s tag team division taking a toll on the prestige of the women’s tag team division, the four horsewomen’s tag team match on the Raw go-home show in Madison Square Garden could have been a sign of things to come in the women’s tag team division. However, that remains unlikely since they are in high-caliber championship feuds, which don’t seem to be ending anytime soon.
Alternatively, if Nia Jax and Tamina and/or The Riott Squad don’t return from injury soon, Bliss and Cross would undoubtedly be in desperate need for challengers during their egregious championship reign. Hopefully, the rumored draft in October fixes the many anomalies in the women’s tag team division.
But as of now, the women’s tag team championships should be ‘safe” in the hands of Bliss and Cross at Clash of Champions. One can have coffee without donuts but can very rarely have donuts without coffee.
Prediction: Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) (w/Sami Zayn) vs. The Miz [Intercontinental Championship]
Speaking of rats, the Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura and The Miz have been playing a cat and mouse game on the road to Clash of Champions. Every single week, Nakamura has attacked The Miz from behind to continuously send a clear message of superior aggressiveness.
When he got eliminated from the King of the Ring Tournament, The Miz wanted to win back the championship he made prestigious and become a nine-time Intercontinental Champion. Now that he has challenged Nakamura to a title match at Clash of Champions, many may think that Miz will win simply to surpass Chris Jericho’s championship record.
With Jericho being a full-time AEW superstar now, this seems to be plausible. However, disregarding the politicking, there are more important storyline reasons why Miz won’t dethrone Nakamura.
Ever since becoming a babyface in his WrestleMania feud with Shane McMahon, The Miz has been disappointedly lost in the shuffle. This is the case since Miz is a natural heel who is neither exceptionally strong nor athletic; if he doesn’t cheat to win against stronger or more athletic opponents, he will lose.
Because of this severe lack of attributes, he is built to win matches nefariously without any fears of injury, and this is why he is considered the King of Soft Style. Sadly, heroic babyfaces are not supposed to cheat to win matches, and this is the mode of action Miz has been subjected to.
Since he cannot cheat, Miz will unquestionably lose to the King of Strong Style, Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura’s swift strikes and submissions will be too much for The Miz to handle.
Besides, Nakamura has formed a new marketable alliance with Sami Zayn that could continue to thrive in the long run. Thus, his Intercontinental Championship reign could be longer than expected.
Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura