Looking Back at Clash of Champions 2019 Ahead of 2020 PPV
This weekend the WWE will present the Night of Champions PPV in what is sure to be an interesting one, to say the least! With that in mind, today I’m going to be taking you back to last year’s edition of this PPV discussing the things the WWE got right, the wrong booking decisions, and the changes we have seen for WWE stars looking at where they are today in comparison! This is a new little idea so be sure to let me know what you think and if you would like to see more like this!
Robert Roode was doing… SOMETHING
The opening matchup of the Night of Champions PPV 2019 saw Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman defend the RAW tag team titles against the team of Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode. This was a simple match up that didn’t really stand out or do much for any of the stars involved and mainly worked as a way to add more story to Rollins and Strowman singles title match set to main event the same PPV. The end result of the contest saw new tag team champions crowned in Roode and Ziggler adding to the tensions between Strowman and Rollins which was exactly what was needed and told some solid storytelling that allowed fans to have way more interest in the night's main event. A year later and Ziggler is still fresh out of a fantastic feud with Drew McIntyre, Rollins remains a major top star in the WWE and Strowman is working some of his best character work to date. However, despite being one-half of the tag team champions a year ago, Robert Roode at this stage is nowhere to be seen and its been like that throughout 2020. Despite his experience, popularity, and all-round talent he’s a name the WWE just haven’t got behind regardless of the fact he pinned Rollins this time last year.
Bayley Was Still Hugging People… Just
2020 has introduced a totally new version of the likable Bayley. Throughout the majority of her career fans had seen the all hugging all smiling babyface Bayley but this year it has been a ruthless version that has dominated the Smackdown women’s division. At the 2019 Nights of Champions PPV, we were still watching a babyface Bayley with the ponytail and inflatable friends, but we were starting to see a new kind of Bayley slowly introduced. Her sneaky tactic to win her title match against Charlotte Flair saw the start of a new era for Bayley and a whole year later and she is still our Smackdown women’s champion and delivering some of the best work of her main roster career.
The Revival Were WWE Bound
It’s clear that a year ago there were many superstars on the WWE roster who are not there today! The likes of Rusev, Zack Ryder, and more have since departed with the WWE, and among that list is The Revival. Taking on the New Day at the Clash of Champions PPV Dash and Dawson were playing a role within Randy Orton’s rivalry with Kofi Kingston, yet it was clear the WWE was still not using them to the best of their abilities. This match did end up seeing The Revival walk out as the new Smackdown tag team champions and as two of the best teams on the roster today this was a match I remember wanting to watch but being left fairly disappointed. A Year later and with Kofi and Woods out o action Big is finally getting the singles push he deserves and on an even better note, the Revival is free of the WWE and having a fantastic run over in AEW.
Matches were Kept Fairly Short
Re-watching this PPV the other day I realized quickly that one of the frustrating things was how short matches were booked. Both tag team title matches were kept under fifteen minutes and while it worked for the opening contest it would have been great to have seen The Revival vs The New Day given at least another five minutes. While it's clear not every match needs to be half an hour there are certain superstars, rivalries and storylines that would benefit from having more time in the ring, and there several matches that proved this point a year ago. I’m hoping that this weekend the WWE don’t make the same mistake and the tag division, in particular, gets a strong showing!
Mandy Rose cared about looks and was a Brilliant heel
Of course, a year ago Fire and Desire were still a thing and re-watching this PPV it was frustrating to see that the WWE really didn’t do more with Sonya and Mandy as a team and at least give them a title reign but what was also evident was the drastic character changes. It’s been clear from the get-go that Mandy Rose is a natural heel and twelve months ago the former Tough Enough star was working an arguably dated heel persona yet done so incredibly well and gave off vibes of a true future champion. Focusing heavily on her looks and the appearance of others it is a far cry from the version of Rose we see today who doesn’t focus on her image almost at all, working an onscreen relationship with Otis and stands out as a genuinely likable babyface which still surprises me!
Eric Rowan Was Feuding with Roman Reigns
We have already established that there has been a huge change in the state of the WWE roster over the past year and many of the names we saw at the Night of Champions PPV a year ago are no longer apart of the WWE and one of those names was, of course, Eric Rowan. Now, if you know me you will know that I have always been a fan of Rowan, and this time last year it was brilliant to see him actually being booked well in an angle that was entertaining and promising, highlighting his potential as both a character and a wrestler. Fast forward to today and with Rowan no longer a WWE superstar and Reigns Universal Champion it really is a shame that the company didn’t have more faith in Rowan keep him on the track they had him all for I really do believe they could have done some great things with him.
Sami Zayn was Still Involved in the IC title Scene
While he was not champion, Night of Champion 2019 saw Sami Zayn still within the picture of the title. His relationship with Shinsuke Nakamura was growing and was evidently a different and interesting set up that had potential! Nakamura stood as champion taking on the Miz in a match that did not really standout but was entertaining to watch for Zayn’s involvement alone. This was also another contest that highlighted how underrated the Miz is in terms of his wrestling ability. We mentioned earlier how this PPV was full of short contests and unfortunately this was yet another smaller match of the evening. A year later and Nakamura and Miz are involved in the world of tag team competition while Zayn is still involved with the IC title and taking part in some of his best work since joining the main roster!
Kofi Kingston Was WWE Champion
It’s actually pretty crazy how long ago it feels since Kofi Kingston was WWE champion and when I gave the 2019 Night of Champions PPV another watch this past Sunday I was surprised to be reminded he was still champ at this time. Working arguably the best rivalry/storyline of his reign against Randy Orton the match between these two was one of the best of the evening delivering on all aspects. What we saw was personal and intense and showcased the best of heel Orton, cocky, arrogant, and the perfect veteran villain. On the flip side fans were still pulling for Kingston massively and this angle reminded the WWE universe of the journey Kofi has been on throughout his career and what this championship reign means. His victory on this night was the biggest of his reign and quite possibly one of the biggest of his entire career to date and I can honestly say I really enjoyed re-watching this match.
I’ll admit that I have mixed feelings about Sunday’s Night of Champions PPV but looking back on last year's addition it's very clear so much has changed. From new stars to talents departing with the WWE. From a brilliant title match between Banks and Lynch to the slow introduction of a new Bayley! Now, as I said at the start of this post, this is a new kind of idea for me and my blog and so I’d love to know if more of these kinds of posts are something you would be interested in so let me know by leaving a comment or by tweeting me over at @TezangiVictoria.
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