Clash of Champions finishes off WWE PPVs this year
Smackdown presents Clash of Champions Sunday on the WWE Network and it was the last PPV of the year under the WWE umbrella.
A.J. Styles defended the WWE championship against the former title holder Jinder Mahal in the main event.
Other championship matches included Charlotte Flair defending the Smackdown Women鈥檚 title against Natalya, Baron Corbin defending the United States title against Bobby Roode and Dolph Ziggler, and The Usos defending the Smackdown titles in a four-way match against The New Day, Rusev and Aiden English, and the team of Benjamin and Gable.
In a non-title match with plenty on the line, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn took on Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura where Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan both served as special guest referees.
If Owens and Zayn lost, they were to be fired by McMahon.
The Bludgeon Brothers faced Breezango in a tag match, and look for it to be quick.
The event has a stopgap feel as the Royal Rumble approaches, and none of the title matches feel important enough for one to change hands.
However, don鈥檛 be surprised if WWE pulls the trigger on one to freshen things up.
WWE announces 鈥淢ixed Match Challenge鈥�
On Wednesday, WWE announced a mixed match challenge that will streamed exclusively on Facebook in January that will feature men and women wrestlers from both Smackdown and Raw.
Teams have not been announced yet, but it will be a single elimination mixed tag team tournament.
The last team standing will win $100,000, which will be donated to the charity of their choice.
It will air after Smackdown on Tuesday nights, and it will push back the start time of 205 Live to 10:30.
Check out www.com to see the wrestlers who will take part in the event.
Lesnar on Raw
WWE Universal champion is scheduled to be on Raw Monday night.
Look for his title match at the Royal Rumble to officially be announced.
It appears that he will face both Kane and Braun Strowman in a triple threat match.
More on that later.
Sheamus battling through injury
The latest major WWE injury involves Sheamus, and it is being very careful with him as he is rehabbing a serious injury known as spinal stenosis.
It is the same injury that ended the careers of 鈥淪tone Clod鈥� Steve Austin and Edge.
The plan is for him to wrestle less singles matches as it will limit the number of bumps he has to take in matches.
Naomi also out
Speaking of injuries, Naomi had knee surgery this week and will be out for up to five months.
Unless she recovers faster than expected, she will miss WrestleMania.
WWE tickets on sale for Pittsburgh show
WWE is running a live event in Pittsburgh on Dec. 28 and is running a special.
Ticketmaster has a 鈥淢e+3 Four-Pack offer鈥� with great seats available.
Tickets start at $20 per ticket just off the floor level.
More information can be found at www.ticketmaster.com.
On this date鈥�
In 1979, Hulk Hogan made his Madison Square Garden debut when he defeated Ted DiBiase via knockout with a bearhug.
Just under nine years later, Hogan would team with 鈥淢acho Man鈥� Randy Savage to take on DiBiase and Andre the Giant at the Garden in the main event of the first-ever SummerSlam.
This week鈥檚 question: It appears WWE may go with Brock Lesnar defending the Universal title against Braun Strowman and Kane. Why is Kane in the match instead of a one-on-one match? Bob, Perryopolis.
My guess, if WWE does indeed pull the string and go with this match, is that it wants to have Lesnar win without having to have him pin Strowman again.
By doing this, it keeps Strowman looking strong moving forward.
Email questions/comments to Bill at powerhousehughes@gmail.com or tweet them to me @BillHughes_III