WWE Clash of Champions 2019: Predicting the match order of the pay-per-view

WWE Clash of Champions is this Sunday and with every main roster Championship on the line, this promises to be another fun WWE pay-per-view. There have been lots of really good shows this year alone, proving just how amazing the talent roster is currently.

In recent months, WWE has found the formula on how to book a successful pay-per-view. With eleven matches scheduled for the show, they must get the match order right to bring out the best out of every clash.

There are multiple matches that could steal the show, but whether they do or not depends on where WWE decides to place each match on the card.

With another promising pay-per-view on the horizon, here is how WWE should lay out the Clash Of Champions card, from Kickoff Show to the main event.

Disclaimer: The views of the author do not necessarily reflect that of Sportskeeda

Kickoff Show: Drew Gulak vs Humberto Carrillo vs Lince Dorado (Cruiserweight Championship)

As has been the case many times in the past, the Cruiserweight Championship will likely be contested for on the Kickoff show. This is one of the matches that WWE could afford to move from the main show. However, such matches usually are a hit in the position they are put in and we should not expect anything different at Clash Of Champions. Drew Gulak will defend his 205 Live title against the promising Humberto Carrillo, as well as Lince Dorado.

The latter had been a part of the RAW tag team division as part of the Lucha House Party, but will be able to showcase his incredible skills in front of a pay-per-view audience. This will also be a chance for Carrillo to make his name, after a huge victory in a 10-man elimination tag team match on 205 Live, a few weeks ago. As always, the cruiserweights will steal the show before the show and this could be one last hurrah, if 205 Live does end in the near future.

#1 Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman vs Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler (RAW Tag Team Championship)

Rollins and Strowman vs Roode and Ziggler

The RAW Tag Team Championship match should open the main show for the simple reason that Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman will be doing double duty on Sunday. Hence, finishing their Tag Team Title defense against Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler early would give the current Universal Champion and his challenger some time before their clash towards the end of the night.

This really is an interesting dynamic which could go either way, depending on what story WWE is going with on the night. This is not the first time that Rollins would defend two championships at a Clash (Night) of Champions pay-per-view, but he did have both title matches back-to-back in 2015.

He will look to co-exist with fellow RAW Tag Team Champion, Strowman and retain the titles. The outcome of this match would presumably affect what happens in the Universal Championship match between Rollins and Strowman, which is why WWE should open the show with this.

#2 Shinsuke Nakamura vs The Miz (Intercontinental Championship)

Following a standard 'strange bedfellows' Tag Team Title match, we go to a singles title match where the Intercontinental Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura has allied with Sami Zayn. This could play a major role in the outcome of this match, with the act so fresh and young at the moment. The Miz, over from RAW, is one championship win away from tying with Chris Jericho for the highest number of Intercontinental title victories, at nine.

There is not that much meat in this story as it seems like a placeholder feud while Ali was busy in the King of the Ring tournament. That is why it would happen near the start of the show. It could actually take place at any spot in the first half of the show, to be honest. The match will still be a solid one, with The Miz proving himself to be one of the most reliable WWE Superstars inside the ring in recent history.

#3 AJ Styles vs Cedric Alexander (United States Championship)

Cedric Alexander has been at the receiving end of a notable push lately, ever since he was revealed as Gary Garbutt, the janitor who teamed with Roman Reigns that one time on RAW. However, recent weeks have seen the youngster put up on a high pedestal. Alexander reached the King of the Ring quarter-final but was ambushed by The OC backstage before his match with Baron Corbin, causing him to narrowly miss out. He did get some payback though, pinning AJ Styles this week on RAW.

As a result, Alexander earned a United States Championship match at Clash of Champions. WWE should really put this match in a position where it could stand out, therefore it should happen in the opening hour or so. If these two Superstars get close to 15 minutes of ring time, they could genuinely create some magic. The former Cruiserweight Champion is fantastic in the ring and we all know that the Phenomenal One is timeless. Alexander and Styles could possibly be the best match on the undercard, at the very least.

#4 The New Day vs The Revival (SmackDown Tag Team Championship)

The build to this match has been simple, but effective. It has obviously been linked with the WWE Championship match, being used to build the storyline in that feud. But the New Day and The Revival are both capable of sheer excellence in the ring. Xavier Woods and Big E were taken out by Randy Orton and The Revival, meaning that they will enter this match but not in the best condition which would make for a compelling story.

As good as both these teams are at having long and incredible matches, this does not need to be overly long. With the way this card has been laid out, WWE would be forgiven for shortening the length of a couple of clashes. For this match, the storyline injuries could come into play and give fans a mini-breather between the longer matches on this card. The Revival winning the SmackDown Tag Team Championship could ignite the feud even further, as well as cast some doubt on Kofi Kingston's upcoming WWE title defense.

#5 Bayley vs Charlotte Flair (SmackDown Women's Championship)

It looked like this match would be a standard plucky babyface vs dominant heel title match but boy, have the past few weeks surprised us. Bayley shockingly turned heel on last week's RAW, pummelling Becky Lynch with a steel chair and affirming her loyalty to her best friend, Sasha Banks. This has changed the dynamic between the SmackDown Women's Champion and her challenger, Charlotte Flair.

WWE seems to have executed a week-long double turn, with The Queen becoming the face in this story. They have done a great job in making this match much more exciting than it would have been. Like the US Title match, this match should be allotted a solid chunk of time for fans to enjoy. Bayley should ideally keep her title, further enhancing the momentum she gained when she finally turned heel.

#6 Roman Reigns vs Erick Rowan (No Disqualification Match)

After already a lot of great wrestling on the show, the No Disqualification Match between Roman Reigns and Erick Rowan would serve as a different type of match. This has the potential to be extremely brutal, especially after Rowan attempted to attack the Big Dog on multiple occasions. The big bearded man could enjoy a breakout performance on a relatively big stage, against one of the biggest Superstars in the company.

This will be Rowan's first singles PPV match since probably that awful Stairs Match against the Big Show, so it will be a chance to extinguish any lasting memories of that match. A violent 10-minute brawl would be a great palette cleanser for the WWE universe, as they get ready for the show's main events. We could even see an appearance from Daniel Bryan, who could play a part in the finish to this match.

#7 Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross vs Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville (WWE Women's Tag Team Championship)

Every stacked pay-per-view card requires a 'Let me up' match, where the entire crowd can take a break and refresh themselves for the final stretch of action on the show. In this case, the Women's Tag Team Championship match could slot in. Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross will face Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville, with a feud that does have the potential to give rise to some heated action.

However, this is the one match that could transpire as a filler on a show that is filled with many big matches. Unfortunately, WWE has not built the women's tag team division well at all and as a result, the Women's tag titles seem like the weakest set of gold in the entire company. These four ladies will probably have a solid match, one that would fulfill its purpose as we head into the three biggest matches of the night.

#8 Kofi Kingston vs Randy Orton (WWE Championship)

At SummerSlam, the WWE Championship match between Kofi Kingston and Randy Orton happened at a pretty slow pace. Just as it was picking up, both men got counted out. While it was a disappointing ending, it has made their rematch at Clash of Champions feel a lot more important. Especially with the mind games that Orton and the Revival have played with Kofi by taking out both Xavier Woods and Big E, the intensity has been turned up to eleven.

After a slight cool-down in the form of the Women's Tag Titles, the WWE universe would be ready for the match between Kofi and Orton. Both men could have the incredible match we were promised, at Clash of Champions. There is also a host of possibilities as to what will happen and whether the feud will end here or culminate inside Hell in a Cell. WWE should also give this match enough time to effectively tell the story that both, Kofi Kingston and Randy Orton are capable of telling.

#9 Seth Rollins vs Braun Strowman (Universal Championship)

As mentioned earlier, Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman will team with each other as well as face each other on the same show. This match will probably be the main event of the evening, but there is a more exciting proposition. More on that in a moment though. Rollins and Strowman will most probably head into this marquee match as Tag Team Champions, but there won't be any need to co-exist here. The match will be a good one, indicative of previous matches that the Universal Champion has had against larger opponents.

It is hard to see either man lose this match. Rollins, because he only recently defeated Brock Lesnar in a really competitive match and Strowman, because he cannot really afford to be pinned in another Universal Championship match. Every time he has wrestled for the big red belt, things have not exactly gone too well for him. Anyway, the best solution to protect both men would be to end the match due to interference. However, this won't be any regular interference.

The Fiend is seemingly going to challenge for the Universal Championship at Hell in a Cell and if that is the case, he should show up here and take out both men. It would be a cheap ending, but an exciting one nevertheless. With a non-finish, this perfectly brings us over to our main event.

Main Event: Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks (RAW Women's Championship)

While it most certainly will not happen, the main event for Clash of Champions should honestly be Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks. They are probably two of the biggest stars on the entire WWE full-time roster. Becky Lynch has proven her excellence multiple times over the past year, while past month has also done a fine job in reminding us of the brilliance that Sasha Banks can pull off as a heel. She has seamlessly transitioned into her new look and is ready to make an impact.

This match definitely is the most anticipated one on the entire card, especially since these two have not had a big-time one-on-one match since the Women's Championship was re-introduced. The Man certainly warrants the main event spot on any card she is on, after her groundbreaking victory at WrestleMania, and the Legit Boss still has a lot of buzz from her return. This has all the makings of a classic match. Two excellent wrestlers, no clear winner and possible shenanigans involving Bayley and possibly Charlotte Flair.

This match has all the intrigue in the world, as well as all the potential in the world to be one of the greatest matches in the women's division in 2019. If both women remain on Raw after the possible impending WWE Draft, Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks could be the biggest rivalry on the Red brand this year, much like either of their sagas with Charlotte in the past.

Edited by Amar Anand