7 current WWE champions who didn't appear at Clash at the Castle
The historic second edition of WWE Clash at the Castle was a night of champions, but not all current titleholders were on the card.
The star-studded PLE featured five high-octane title bouts that have been building for weeks if not months. From AJ Styles and Cody Rhodes settling their animosity in a grueling "I Quit" match to Damian Priest putting his World Heavyweight Championship on the line against hometown hero Drew McIntyre, WWE Clash at the Castle 2024 ended up being yet another electrifying international wrestling spectacle.
Despite every match being for championship gold, fans couldn't help but notice the absence of multiple current champions. These WWE Superstars get ample TV time on a weekly basis, so it was surprising to see them sit out such a big show.
That said, here are seven current WWE champions who didn't compete at Clash at the Castle 2024.
#7. Women's World Champion Liv Morgan
It must not have been easy for those in power to leave Liv Morgan off the card. After all, she's a part of one of the highest-drawing storylines unfolding on RAW as of late.
Her involvement with Judgment Day and budding alliance with Dominik Mysterio keep fans on the edge of their seats every Monday night. Granted that Judgment Day members were barred from ringside during Damian Priest's clash with Drew McIntyre. However, one could argue that there must have been other ways to give the Scottish fans a Liv Morgan sighting.
On the flip side, WWE's decision not to make the Women's World Champion a part of the latest PLE was fair. After all, there are no viable challengers for her at the moment. Becky Lynch, the woman Liv beat for the title, isn't in the company anymore. Furthermore, her eventual collision with Rhea Ripley has no set date for the moment.
So, instead of seeing her in a pointless segment, fans will now have to tune in to Monday Night RAW to see the next chapter in the Liv Morgan/Judgment Day saga.
#6 and #5. World Tag Team Champions The Awesome Truth
At WWE WrestleMania XL, a boyhood dream came true when R-Truth secured a remarkable victory alongside his on-and-off friend, The Miz. The reunited Awesome Truth have been RAW's resident Tag Team Champions since then.
While their run at the top hasn't taken the tag division to new heights, the pops they get from the live crowds are clear proof that WWE isn't doing anything wrong with keeping the straps on The Miz and R-Truth.
Given that The Awesome Truth didn't defend their titles on the two PLEs after WrestleMania, it was a logical move to put them on the Glasgow card. However, to a lot of people's surprise, The Awesome One and The Charismatic One ended up missing their third-straight PLE.
Just like Liv Morgan, The current World Tag Team Champions aren't currently part of a heated program that would warrant them getting a spot on a limited-fight card. Perhaps Money in the Bank will mark their PLE return.
#4. WWE Speed Champion Andrade
Although Andrade is one of the finest in-ring performers in the Stamford-based promotion, booking him as a TV mainstay has been a challenge for WWE's creative team.
As a result, he hasn't been involved in lengthy storylines since his return at Royal Rumble 2024. But keeping a talent as gifted as El Idolo on the sidelines when he's at his 100% isn't a smart move. So, he got the keys to WWE's recent social media endeavor, WWE Speed, which limits most contests to three minutes apiece, with special title matches having a five-minute limit.
Andrade just became the Speed Champion by dethroning the inaugural champion, Ricochet. But his momentum couldn't get him on the flight to Glasgow, and that was for the best.
First of all, WWE Speed is only loosely linked to the TV storylines, so an Andrade title defense could've confused the fans. Furthermore, La Sombra's challenger has yet to be determined. Lastly, a five-minute match with no rhyme or a reason squeezed between fights stemming out of intriguing rivalries could've impacted the vibe.
#3 and #2. WWE Tag Team Champions A-Town Down Under
Like their RAW counterparts, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller haven't gotten the chance to prove that they're fighting champions. So, it made sense to leave them off the Clash card.
While the blue-brand loudmouths couldn't compete on the PLE, they did get to appear in front of the outrageously hot Glasgow crowd. They had a segment on the go-home edition of SmackDown in which further seeds were planted for Theory and Waller's eventual split.
The duo is currently feuding with DIY, and from the looks of it, WWE is likely planning on a title change at SummerSlam, which will be emanating from Johnny Gargano's hometown.
So, despite the Glasgow crowd deserving a fun tag-team bout involving the athletic SmackDown men, the matchmaking department shouldn't get any criticism for sticking to playing the long game.
#1. United States Champion Logan Paul
Clash at the Castle featured a tremendous IC title match between Sami Zayn and Chad Gable. However, the SmackDown mid-card champion was nowhere to be seen.
Since winning the US title back in November 2023, Logan Paul has put it on the line on only two occasions. While fans have voiced concerns over The Maverick not treating a workhorse title right, it can't be denied that Paul has helped get millions of new eyes on the belt, thanks to his mainstream influence.
Moreover, he just started a program with fan-favorite LA Knight. So, given how amazing both superstars are on the mic, their eventual one-on-one match should come after a series of uproarious promo battles.
Therefore, WWE just hot-shotting the US title match to Clash at the Castle would have robbed the fans of several fun moments that they will now get to enjoy as the feud progresses.