SummerSlam felt like over a month ago, probably because it was. The week before it, Vince McMahon had retired and Triple H was put in charge of a lot of things including — most visibly — The Creative. The changes to The Product felt immediate and WWE’s TV from August felt like 1) a mission statement, 2) a make-good, and 3) a genuine attempt to Just Have a Good Show.
WWE traveled to the United Kingdom for their next PLE, the UK’s first PLE ever and the first WWE PPV to air from the UK since SummerSlam 1992 (those UK-exclusive ones don’t count). Like WWE’s post-McMahon TV, it tried to accomplish many things — draw a house, excite a market, establish some talent — but most of it boiled down Just Having a Good Show.
As for me? Well. I turned 35 in late-August, which was nice and terrifying. A couple weeks later I noticed the growth on our dog Bentley’s face — previously just a thing to “keep an eye on” – was bleeding, so I checked in with the our Veterinarian and a few days later that growth was surgically removed from Bentley’s face. I spent the next week stuck in a prison called “waiting for biopsy results.”
Gracefully, those results were negative.
Deep breath.
Phew.
Given the time difference Clash at the Castle aired in the U.S. in the middle of the day, and one Saturday afternoon I ended up in a scenario with my son in his bed, wife in the sun, and Bentley on the floor (uncomfortable, in a cone). As for me? I was watching professional wrestling on Peacock TV.
WWE Clash at the Castle took place in Cardiff, Wales, at the Principality Stadium in front of an announced 62,296 fans.
0. Street Profits & Madcap Moss vs. Alpha Academy & Theory
I’m not sure if it was the timezone or an actual concerted effort from WWE, but Clash of the Castle’s Kickoff began by pulling vibes from the atmosphere of an awesome early 90s WWF tag. Everything just felt larger than standard life: the crowd, the stage, even the “Hey I know that guy!” reactions for everybody’s entrance music.
And the wrestling? Pretty great. After some initial flashy exchanges and a targeted beatdown by the bad guys, Madcap Moss tagged in and everyone hollered as he took it to Austin Theory. Chad Gable tried to German suplex Angelo Dawkins off the apron, but ended up getting lifted into position for a tope from Montez Ford. The people loved it! I loved it. The wrestling can be so good… ***1/4
1. Bianca Belair, Asuka & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley, Iyo Sky & Dakota Kai
This was another 6-man that was completely traditional and completely amazing. The crowd was hot and everyone looked cool as hell but there was extra attention to detail on all the match’s key points: Kai and Sky’s early cut-off on Belair followed by taunting, the heel beatdown beginning with Alexa getting baited into a somersault plancha, Kai and Bayley’s smooth late cut-off Belair as Alexa crawled for the tag.
Kai was having so much fun heeling it up it seemed practically airborne and Bayley remains as over as Jesus in the U.K., but the crowd loved it most when the good guys put together their comeback: a superplex to Bayley off Belair’s back then THE POP for Belair lifting Kai for a gorilla press. ***1/2
2. WWE Intercontinental Title: Gunther [c] w/ Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci vs. Sheamus w/ Ridge Holland and Butch
Wrestling evolved into a lot of different niches and styles over the last fifty years but this hard-hitting European one usually feels like the best use of everybody’s time: compelling! Dramatic! Violent! Fun!
At the bell they immediately began smacking each other, peppering in body shots, teeing off…. they were beating the fuck out of each other, guys. Sheamus has earned a reputation for his stiff style of work but with a willing participant there’s some magic to be made, not only with a kick to the cheek or chop to the neck but by the way those things are capitalized on to lead to exciting near falls.
Each guy went into the match with similar credentials as Europeans but Irish Sheamus is from the U.K. proper and this Cardiff crowd loved, respected, and rooted for him. They booed with fury after Gunther hit a nasty powerbomb and headed up top for an assumed finishing splash, only to roar with approval when Sheamus rose and started throwing slaps.
For a match that didn’t really let up bell-to-bell they saved the most brilliant bit for the finish: Sheamus went for the Brouge kick but his back went out, which got a great reaction of audible disappointment from the crowd. Gunther hit another powerbomb and the crowd 150% bought-in as Sheamus tried to stay with it, tried to get up, grit his teeth.. only to run into a simple, filthy lariat from Gunther for 3. Sheamus didn’t leave Wales with gold but he did get a standing ovation.
An awesome, uncomfortably intense championship wrestling match ploppped in the middle of this Premium Live Event. *****
3. SmackDown Women’s Title: Liv Morgan [c] vs. Shayna Baszler
Not a show-stealer, but much like the Liv Morgan defense against Ronda Rousey at SummerSlam this match overcame a blatant mismatch in credibility so well that it became downright impressive. Liv sort of rolled with Shayna on the mat then got caught in some arm work, which the crowd stayed alert enough for before Liv survived a couple knee strikes and caught a clean win. A good solid wrestling match! ***
4. Edge & Rey Mysterio w/ Dominik Mysterio vs. Finn Balor & Damian Priest w/ Rhea Ripley
On a show that had many big crowd reactions, Edge received a monstrous pop and genuine affection for his UK in-ring return. After some time spent on the apron watching Rey get beat up he rewarded them for it too, not just with signature moves but a silly 619 and tope suicida spear — I mean this guy is a wrestler!
Good match made kind of great thanks to a bonkers crowd. Afterwards, Dominik kicked Edge in the balls and clotheslined Rey, the first of which I smiled at and the latter I screamed “NO” for all alone. ***1/2
5. Matt Riddle vs. Seth Rollins
Sporting a winged devil entrance outfit and heart-shaped sunglasses, Seth Freakin’ Rollins went full Elton John for his entrance attire — or at least the biopic version of Elton John. It was elaborate. Then he and Riddle followed up Rollins calling out Riddle’s divorce on RAW with a pretty good wrestling match.
This was more Cool Stuff than Grudge Match, but Rollins’ barricade bomb, superplex-to-falcon arrow and the “Floating Bro” to the floor were all incredibly cool. Riddle kicked out of a Pedigree which was pretty cute before going down to a curb stomp. ***1/2
6. Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns [c] vs. Drew McIntyre
Between Scottish hero Drew McIntyre entering to his old “Broken Dreams” theme music, Tyson Fury (boxer) and Karrion Kross (wrestler) seated front row, and the goodwill already generated from a breezy star-studded show, the main event was blessed with that unexplainable yet understood Big Match Feel.
They made use of The Feel for 30+ minutes, and on occasion it was a little boring. On other occasions, Roman stalled like a great heel Champion and the crowd stayed behind their returning Countryman until he popped off a comeback.
The finish came together delightfully, even the two run-ins: Austin Theory tried to cash in his Money in the Bank contract only to be stopped by a punch from Tyson Fury and Solo Sikoa made his debut to help Roman Cheat 2 Win.
This was good. I enjoyed it while it was happening. The problem here was that the match teed up a Drew McIntyre win and after a half-hour was spent getting there, he didn’t win. Not that they explicitly advertised his championship victory, but there was too much Bad Guy time here to not provide the Good Guy time in the end. Even after a great show and two delightful run-ins. ****
Afterwards, Fury shook Reigns’ hand and sang songs with McIntyre to send the crowd home… confused? This Castle had levels.
Happy Thoughts: After many years watching wrestling you’d think I would understand the futility in reflecting on what should or should not have happened at the end of a wrestling match, but I still need to say it: Drew McIntyre should’ve beat Roman Reigns for the title. If that couldn’t happen, then they at least could’ve had the good guy lose in a way that wasn’t so deflating then confusing – one good example happened literally three matches earlier with Gunther and Sheamus.
If McIntyre sent the crowd home with a championship celebration and not a duet with Tyson Fury, there might be an argument for this being one of the greatest WWE shows of all-time. Unfortunately it has to settle for being merely a great wrestling show and the best top-to-bottom non-WrestleMania WWE show in years. 4.25 / 5.0
