WWE Clash at the Castle

[MCWAY]

Here we go, the much-ballyhooed return of WWE for a major stadium PPV, the first since SummerSlam 1992 over 30 years ago.

Will it break the record of Wembley Stadium's bout? Which title match will be the actual main event?

WWE World/Universal Heavyweight Championship - Roman Reigns (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Since losing the world title to the Miz (yes, you read that correctly, albeit via MITB cash-in) and failing to get it back at WM37, McIntyre has been slumming it. But, with the injury bug biting nearly everyone in sight, The Scottish Warrior is suddenly back to top billing. Now, he's in the main-event in his proverbial backyard.

We've heard the "Chosen One" mantle, which he was given that didn't pan out initially. We've also had him lament about not getting his true WrestleMania moment. Thanks to the pandemic, he beat Brock Lesnar in front of nobody at WM 36. Every time there's a video package about his world title win, the footage is of his second win against Orton, not his first against Lesnar. He's also tired of being known as the Thunderdome Champion, as he's only held the gold in front of virtual fans on monitors.

The problem is......The Tribal Chief. He's been champion for two years straight. The last time that occurred (Jan. 23, 1986) I was in 7th grade. Reigns is still red-hot. However, with Mr. Helmsley now running the show, pulling the plug on a guy while he's still smoking is not out of the question (Remember what happened with Seth Rollins in 2014, after the Shield swept Evolution in that elimination match). But, somehow, I think this whole thing with Karrion Kross and his silicon siren will spoil the party.

Reigns keeps his belt(s).

WWE Intercontinental Championship - Gunther (c) vs. Sheamus: Back to what I said earlier, this might be the feel-good match to let the UK fans go home happy. If the Scottish Warrior doesn't get it done, then the Celtic Warrior will. Don't expect it to be the Bret Hart vs. Davey Boy classic. But these two will pound on each other, big time. As long as the sidekicks for the respective men stay out of it, this should be a good match. I go with Sheamus to win, which means he's the "Ultimate Grand Slam" champion.

Smackdown Women's Championship - Liv Morgan (c) vs. Shayna Bayzler: How many more flukey ways can they have this cupie doll beat people? Now, after her corny win at SummerSlam, she gets diet Rousey at the Castle. And, somehow, she'll squeak by this one.

Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) vs. Edge and Rey Mysterio: Judgment Day SUCKS without Edge, no other way to state it. So my guess is that the only way it can get the jolt needed is to FINALLY turn Dominick Mysterio HEEL and stab his dear old dad in the back (and the heart) to give JD the W. I mean how many more times can the guy get emasculated by Rhea Ripley. WWE is implying that there's some freaky-leaky fetish with those two, as her legs keep getting wrapped around his face.

Asuka, Alexa Bliss, and RAW women's champ, Bianca Belair vs. Bayley, Io Sky, and Dakota Kai: Since Sky and Kai didn't get it done on RAW in the tag title finals, they'll win this match here. Pseudo-UPSET SPECIAL!! Bayley scores the fall on Belair.

Matt Riddle vs. Seth "Freakin'" Rollins: With Cody Rhodes out, Rollins looked to be lost. But, this thing with Riddle is going great for him. I'm surprised this isn't a specialty match (NO DQ, cage match, or something to that effect). But, this has the potential to get wild and to really put Riddle on his singles push, finally decoupling him from Randy Orton. I want to go with Riddle. But Rollins needs a PPV win more. Put Riddle over later after a loss here makes the "Original Bro" stronger.

[MCWAY]

Six-women tag is up first. Apparently, Sky, Kai, and Bayley are now known as "Damage Control".

The UK fans are singing/cat-calling Bayley and she's having none of it. Now, all six are in the ring, after Bayley sucker punched Asuka and Belair does the same with Io Sky.

Now, that was corny. Sky and Kai try to suplex Bliss; Asuka make the save; she and Bliss try to suplex Sky and Kai; Bayley interrupts and her team tries it; Then Belair shows up and her squad duplexes all of their opponents simultaneously.

Then comes the handspring off the ropes by Belair and she tries to pin the entire opposing team. This is looking like stuff from the Divas' era.

Well, I called it! After lots of triple teaming and tying Belair up with that stupid braid, Bayley hits a face plant move; Sky connects with a moonsault; and Bayley pins Belair for the win.

[MCWAY]

Highlights from the IC title match 30 years ago. Davey Boy's family is in the audience, as is the Hitman himself, Bret Hart.

Now, here comes the current IC title match. Well, Ludwig Kaiser has added another dude to the fray. Apparently, there was an NXT faction called Imperium. Giovanni Vincin has joined Kaiser to flank Gunther. So now the IC champ has his posse to negate the Brawling Brutes, who are now pounding each other as Gunther and Sheamus face off, unflinching.

And while the sidekicks beat up each other, Sheamus and Gunther finally start scrapping. Lots of chops and forearms, with Sheamus sporting welts in the early going. The crowd is digging the Great White and he's starting to turn the tide. Ric Flair would be proud of all these chops, including one Gunther just served to Sheamus, sending him off the top turnbuckle to the floor.

OUCH!! A bodyslam onto the steel steps delivers Gunther to Sheamus, whose chiropractor better on speed-dial if this keeps up.

Corey Graves said it best: Sheamus' chest is starting to resemble hamburger meat. He's been getting beat up most of this match. But, he's starting to "Hulk-up", tired of his pecs getting pounded. But, that flurry ended with a forearm to the floor, followed by a a bodyslam and toss through the announce table.

Sheamus is now peeling Gunther across any object he can find and returning the favor with forearms to the chest, followed by a flying knee to the chest. Now it's chops vs. forearms, booes for Gunther, cheers for Sheamus.  But, a German suplex by Gunther stops the exchange. Another chop to the chest absorbed, Sheamus bounces off the ropes with a pump knee strike for a near fall. A failed Irish Curse backbreaker result in a sleeper.

Sheamus counters with White Noise and nearly gets a pin. Seamus goes for the Brogue Kick but misses; Gunther hits a drop kick. Now comes a weak power bomb from which Sheamus kicks out after landing on his butt. Gunther kicks the lower back repeatedly and goes to the top for a flying knee. But, Sheamus won't let him fly. More chops from Gunther and another attempted knee gets countered into.....the CELTIC CROSS (aka "Razor's Edge). But the IC champion escapes the pin and the crowd is in shock.

Sheamus goes for another Brogue kick, but his lower back knots up. Gunther hits another power bomb; but that didn't get delivered properly either. Seamus snarls in deviance. But, Gunther growls with anger, wallops Sheamus with a lariat clothesline, and gets the 1-2-3.

Seamus limps back to his feet, nursing his lower back, after Imperium escorts a victorious Gunther from the ring. The crowd claps and cheers for the Celtic Warrior. Is this THT for the Great White, as rumors of Sheamus calling it a day have circled for a bit.

[MCWAY]

Smackdown women's title match. Let's see if this doesn't suck.

Liv Morgan looks like a Satanic Trish Stratus. but, she's  actually doing some submission holds of her own. Triangle chokes, armbars......not too shabby!!

Running powerbomb by Morgan, but she get caught in a sleeper. She gets to the ropes. Baszler goes for another sleeper but it gets countered. She hits a codebreaker, followed by "Oblivion", and the win.

Next, Judgment Day vs. Edge and Mysterio. And Edge has a red-devil mask, how unique!!

Edge is getting much love, especially when the crowd wants him to take on Damian Priest. In fact, the crowd is more into this matchup than when Balor and Mysterio are in the ring. Now we get some team work with Edge backdropping Mysterio into Balor and Priest.

Now, Rey is getting beat up and Priest is obsessed with Edge, spitting his gum at the Rated-R Superstar. Balor is doing the heavy lifting (relatively speaking, given Mysterio is in the ring).

Mysterio flings Balor outside the ring and goes for a splash after backdropping Balor into the crowd.. Priest hops on the barricade (great agility for the big man) and goes for a power bomb. But Mysterio escapes, grabs Priest's legs and introduces Priest's nuts to the barricade. Hot Tag to Edge and the the clotheslines, flapjacks and impaler DDTs fly.

Priest prevents the spear to Balor, only to have Mysterio hop onto him outside the ring. Edge does a drop-toe hold onto Balor, now draped on the second ropes. But, instead of waiting for his partner, Edge executes the UGLIEST 6-1-9 ever seen. But, the crowd eats it up!! Mysterio hits a splash and Edge goes for a pin. Priest makes the save.

Mysterio tries to stop Priest but gets caught and is about to be chokeslammed, when Edge spears Priest through the ropes and onto the floor. Balor gets the upper hand, drop kicks Edge and goes for Coup-De-Grace. Dominik sighting: he distracts the ref, allowing Rey to hit the Frankensteiner on Balor from the top rope. Rhea Ripley runs to the side of the ring and forearms Mysterio the younger, beats him down, and is about to throw him into the step.

But, dear old dad goes flying off the ropes, onto his son, which ultimately drives Ripley into the barricade.

Balor hurls Rey outside the ring and attempts a somersault but gets tripped by Dominik. Rey dropkicks Balor into the ropes and hits the 6-1-9 (much prettier than the one Edge executed), the bounce from which lets the Rated R Superstar spear Balor for the 1-2-3.

Fans are cheering, the victors are celebrating, and WHOA!!!!!! Dominik just kicked Edge in the NUTS!!!! And Rey is in utter SHOCK!! He pleads with his sone for an explanation, only to be CLOTHESLINED!!! And the fans are letting Dominik have it. Dominik leaves the ring, tearing off the "Mysterios" shirt he wore to the ring.

I called the heel turn; but I thought he'd turn to help Judgment Day win.

[MCWAY]

Samantha Irvin announces the official attendance: 62,296. Not quite SummerSlam 92 numbers but impressive nonetheless!!

Now, it's Riddle and Rollins, the match that was supposed to take place at SummerSlam!

Rollins is dressed like a skinny devil with wings and horns. He looks silly!! But, the fans love his entrance music and the scrapping begins. Apparently some interview has Riddle incensed, after a joke he made about Becky Lynch. A "hot mic" moment has Rollins claiming that since Riddle talked about his family, he'll talk about Riddle's family, namely his wife left him and took his kids.

And

But, a powerbomb into the barricade has turned the tide. Lots of pounding, a Falcon's Arrow, but no pin just yet. Riddle hits two elbows and goes for a moonsault but slips and gets caught in the tree of woe. And, stomp to the tummy almost puts Riddle away.

Rollins hits a superplex. But, when he goes for another Falcon's arrow, Riddle counters with a brain buster. Lots of kicks, forearms and a twisting splash. Rollins goes for a pedigree; but Riddle hits a CM Punk finisher, which Michael Cole called the "Bro-to-Sleep".

Another knee to Rollins and a floating bro but into Rollins' knees. Rollins missed the stomp, Two suplex reversals and a leap into a triangle choke hold. Rollins steps on Riddle's face and hits him with the neutralizer ("Bro-Derek")for a near fall. Rollins missed the Phoenix splash, a kick to the Revolutionary's face, a forearm to Riddle's head and second stomp attempt fails.

Flying kick to Riddle's head but Riddle hits a suplex. He goes for a power bomb but Rollins slips out and hits the Pedigree. But, he can't get the pinfall. Rollins berates Riddle by calling him a loser and his wife and kids hate him. Then  after a Riddle fury, Rollins hits Orton's DDT. And the crowd pops as he mocks Orton and goes for an RKO. But, Riddle puts him in a sleeper and then forearms him in the back of the head. Outside the ring, Riddle slams Rollins into the announce table.

Riddle gets a chair and nearly decapitates the Architect. Rollins flees to the ring, and as Riddle followed, he gets stomped into the mat. Rollins goes to the second rope and HITS A SUPER STOMP!!! All she wrote!!

[MCWAY]

Now, THE BIG ONE!!!

They're playing McIntyre's old "Chosen One" music. Now, it's his current theme. That was cool!!

Reigns comes out last and ALONE!! No Usos, no wiseman. But, Karrion Kross is in the audience.

Fans are all behind McIntyre. And Reigns is rattled with nobody in his corner. Lots of shoulder blocks and a clothesline over the top rope. And now, it's crash-into-the-steps time for the Tribal Chief.

Uh-OH!! Karrion Kross just threw a water bottle at McIntyre. A confrontation ensues and McIntyre gets punched in the face and shoved into the post. McIntyre actually slipped and almost botched his re-entrance into the ring. Now, it's beatdown time for the champion. Ten clotheslines in the corner hits Reigns on McIntyre; but the crowd isn't counting along. But, another trip to the post and boos thundered down on the Head of the Table.

A flying clothesline put the challenger down but only for a one count. A bounce of the ropes and a boot to the head. But, McIntyre keeps kicking out at one. McIntyre hits some chops but gets whipped into the corner. More chops from McIntyre keeps coming but the champ kicks him in the gut.

Reigns tries a duplex but he can't hoist the big man; Both men keep failing at vertical suplexes until Reigns just settles for kicks. Now, Reigns does his "Acknowledge me" schtick during the match. And McIntyre headbutts him right in the snout for his trouble.

Back and forth "boo and Yay" punches and McIntyre goes for belly-to-belly suplexes, hits a neck breaker and does the old kip-up.

The challenger attempts a superplex but Reigns punches his way out of it. Mcintyre hangs on the tree of woe but SITS UP and hits the head scissors and goes for the Claymore. But, Reigns leaves the ring. He re-enters the ring only to get hit with a spine buster.

A Samoan drop attempt by McIntyre fails; Reigns hit the Rock Bottom for a near-fall. Superman Punch missed and a future shock DDT. McIntyre went for the Claymore but got nailed with the Superman punch.

Reigns went for the spear, did the Tribal Scream, got kicked in the face. But, McIntyre missed the clothesline and got speared. But, McIntyre kicks out at two. Now, it's guillotine time. But, two shoves to the buckle and a throw into the post and McIntyre is free.

WOW!! McIntyre speared Reigns into the barricade. It's Claymore time. But, WHAM!! another spear....but no three count for Reigns.
Reigns starts beefing with the ref, only to have McIntyre hit the Claymore...but Reigns goes flying into the ref.

NOT AGAIN!! Austin Theory shows up to cash MITB. WHAT!!! Tyson Fury just knocked out Theory to keep him from cashing in the case. Reigns tries to use a chair but WHAM!!! CLAYMORE TIME!! But, the ref gets just a two count before Reigns kicks out.

More boo/yay punches, this time slumped on their respective knees. Reigns goes for a flying clothesline but misses. OH NO HE DIDNT!! McIntyre hits Reigns with a SPEAR!! The crowd goes bananas; they can feel it!! 3-2-1!! McIntyre gets one more Claymore. The cover, the count, the second ref (who came to the ring with Theory) get pulled out by a man in a black hoodie.

It's not Kross; it's ANOTHER USO, the one from NXT, Solo Sokoa. McIntyre confronts him, gets hung up over the top rope. WHAM!!! One more spear and the original ref, Charles Robinson, counts the fall. Reigns retains his belts!!

Tyson Fury enters the ring and shakes Reigns' hand. And he stands over Drew Mcintyre, pulling him to his feet. After a rousing speech by Fury. Then he starts singing "Miss American Pie". Drew and Tyson thank the fans, they keep singing, but nothing else screwy happens.

I don't get that part at all.