The 2020 WWE Clash of Champions pay-per-view was slated to have three women’s championship matches, but unforeseen circumstances shuffled the card around.
WWE panelists announced during the Kickoff show that Nikki Cross, Shayna Baszler, and Nia Jax were “not medically cleared” to compete in their scheduled matches. Cross was slated to challenge SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley, while Baszler and Jax were to defend the Women’s Tag Team Championship against The Riott Squad.
Zelina Vega vs. Raw Women’s Champion Asuka was moved from the Kickoff to the main card as a result of the changes. Asuka went on to beat Vega via submission in about seven minutes. The bout was far from one-sided with Vega putting on a technical performance despite the loss. Post-match, Vega assaulted Asuka to prove their rivalry is far from over.
Bayley made an appearance later on to issue an open challenge in wake of Nikki Cross’ absence. During Bayley’s premature celebration, Asuka emerged as her challenger. Par for the course, Bayley used a chair for a disqualification finish in under four minutes. Sasha Banks then showed up with a chair shot of her own to her former partner. The two are on a collision course with speculation calling for a marquee match at Hell in a Cell on Oct. 25.
The exact reasons why the three superstars were not medically cleared is unknown at this time. WWE is expected to address Jax and Baszler’s absence on Raw. While this cannot be confirmed as the cause, WWE is battling another COVID-19 outbreak, which has resulted in creative changes across the board.
Going forward, WWE looks to continue Bayley vs. Banks and likely Asuka vs. Vega as well. Jax and Baszler vs. The Riott Squad will surely be revisited on a future episode of Raw. Elsewhere on the red brand, The IIconics are navigating their split, Bianca Belair is ready and waiting, and Mickie James still wants a rematch against Asuka. On SmackDown, a mystery woman is preparing to emerge soon, while Alexa Bliss is dealing with a transformation involving The Fiend.
How will all of this play out before the next WWE Draft on Oct. 9 and Oct. 12? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us @BellToBelles.
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