By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Clash of Champions Kickoff Show
Aired live September 27, 2020 on WWE Network and social media
Orlando, Florida at Amway Center
-Charly Caruso hosted the Kickoff show and was joined by JBL, Booker T, and Peter Rosenberg. The show fell off the rails quickly with Booker T laughing about T-Bar, and Rosenberg being referred to as a Hot Muffin. Booker told Caruso that he hopes she gets jacked (by Retribution?).
-Caruso announced that Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, and Nikki Cross “have not been medically cleared to compete.” She said the status of the WWE Women’s Tag Title match will be addressed on Monday’s Raw. Caruso noted that Bayley was in the building.
Powell’s POV: I am not aware of any injuries involving the three women who were not medically cleared. So read into this development what you will.
-Caruso listed the Smackdown Tag Title match for the Kickoff Show. She also said Jeff Hardy vs. AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn in a ladder match for the Intercontinental Title will open the main show. Asuka vs. Zelina Vega for the Raw Women’s Championship is now listed for the main show.
-A video package focused on the WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Jey Uso. The panel discussed the match.
-Kayla Braxton interviewed Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro, who were drinking champagne in the champions’ lounge. She asked them if it was premature to be drinking champagne. Cesaro said no. He compared himself and Nakamura to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Cesaro said they will retain the tag titles and watch Lucha House Party implode. She pointed out that LHP beat them in a non-title match. Cesaro and Nakamura took away her champagne glass and told her to leave.
-The panel discussed the U.S. Title match. MVP was interviewed from backstage. Rosenberg was asked if MVP is sick of seeing Apollo Crews’s face. MVP said business is booming and predicted another win for Bobby Lashley. MVP also predicted big things for Cedric Alexander. JBL asked MVP where he expected the Hurt Business to be six months to a year from now. MVP said he views them as a global conglomerate. MVP said he’s not the leader, he’s merely a spokesman. Rosenberg asked if Hurt Business is distracted by Retribution. MVP said absolutely not.
-R-Truth showed up at the panel desk and was dressed like a gold miner because of the pay-per-view carrying the Gold Rush theme.
-Alyse Ashton interviewed Angel Garza and Andrade on the backstage ring set. She asked how they would get on the same page without Zelina Vega. Garza said sometimes playing the field is more fun. “No one needs baggage weighting them down,” Garza said. He accused Vega of blaming him for all issues with Andrade, but everyone knows she was the real problem. Andrade said they have each other’s backs.
-A video package spotlighted the Intercontinental Title feud between Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, and Sami Zayn. The panel was discussing the match when Zayn showed up and complained that Caruso did not refer to him as the Intercontinental Champion.
1. Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro vs. “Lucha House Party” Kalisto and Lince Dorado (w/Gran Metalik) for the Smackdown Tag Titles. Michael Cole and Corey Graves were on commentary. Around 5:45, Dorado caught Cesaro with a sunset bomb for a near fall. Cesaro got to his feet and blasted Dorado with a big boot and then covered him for a near fall of his own.
A short time later, Dorado tried to tag out, but Cesaro knocked Kalisto off the apron. The champions isolated Dorado and took turns working him over. Kalisto finally tagged in and performed a nice DDT on Cesaro. Kalisto covered Cesaro, but Nakamura broke up the pin. Kalisto went for a tornado DDT on Cesaro at ringside, but Cesaro caught him. Dorado dove and knocked Cesaro into the tornado DDT.
Back in side the ring, Kalisto performed a moonsault on Cesaro for a near fall. At ringside, Nakamura suplexed Dorado over the barricade. Inside the ring, Kalisto went for his finisher on Cesaro, but Nakamura made a blind tag. Cesaro ended up performing The Spin on Kalisto right into Nakamura’s Kinshasa. Nakamura pinned Kalisto…
Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro defeated Kalisto and Lince Dorado in 10:45 to retain the Smackdown Tag Titles.
Powell’s POV: A well worked match, but there was zero mystery regarding the outcome. I was surprised that there wasn’t a lot of drama between Kalisto and Dorado given their recent bickering on Smackdown.
-A video package spotlighted Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton for the WWE Championship. The panel discussed the match. Jeff Hardy was shown walking backstage while Caruso reminded viewers that the ladder match would open the main show.
Join me for live coverage of the WWE Clash of Champions main card in a separate story available via the main page.
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