Clash Of Champions 2019: 5 Ways WWE can make the PPV feel more important
Since 2007, WWE has been running an annual event in which every championship in WWE is on the line. The first was called Vengeance: Night of Champions. From 2008 through 2015, it was just WWE Night of Champions.
When the new brand split began, they altered the name to WWE Clash of Champions. It was a RAW event in 2016, a SmackDown exclusive in 2017, and upon all WWE PPV events becoming dual-branded, was a complete WWE show in 2018.
On top of having every title defended, the 2019 edition will also feature the final match of the King of the Ring tournament. While it is not a championship match, it will crown the winner of a long-respected tournament.
The biggest criticism about the yearly event is that, even though it has a theme, it does not feel any different than the usual WWE pay-per-view offering. It features the continuation of storylines, and in the last few years, especially, it looks just like every other show as well.
WWE can make Clash of Champions into a special event to look forward to if they want to. The "big four" have been relied upon for years, as Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Survivor Series have carried the load as extra special events.
WWE runs shows with themes for the majority of the year (Elimination Chamber, Money in the Bank, Extreme Rules, Clash of Champions, Hell in a Cell, and TLC).
Those events usually have at least one match that qualifies the name (usually at least two matches), with the exception of Clash of Champions.
Clash of Champions does indeed make good on its name and promise. All of the titles in the company are defended. However, at least seven of the company's 10 titles are defended on every PPV as it is, so why is Clash of Champions special? It really isn't, but it definitely could be.
#5 Hold A Fan Vote
A lot of fans don't seem to look back fondly on the days of Taboo Tuesday and Cyber Sunday, but while the shows weren't very strong, the concept was.
Clash of Champions usually has a couple of title encounters that are on the card only because the theme of the show forces them to be there. Why not make it fun?
You can use the United States Championship for example. AJ Styles ended his feud with Ricochet when he defeated him at SummerSlam. Since then, Styles hasn't had a clear challenger set their sights on him and his title.
He appears to be trying to insert himself into the Universal Championship match between Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman, and if that does happen, then unless they make it for both titles, it breaks the rule of "all titles are to be defended".
With that in mind, why use this opportunity to do a fan vote? The US Title is supposed to be one of the most prestigious and legendary championships in WWE.
It should be defended. Give the fans real choices. Put every man on the roster (at least the RAW roster) that isn't currently slated for a match on the show, and let the fans vote on Twitter or WWE's website.
You will likely end up with a fresh match, and if they have confidence in the man that the fans choose, maybe even a surprise title change, making a new star in the process.