WWE presents its first-ever PLE in Italy today.
WWE Clash in Italy will take place at the Inalpi Arena in Turin on Sunday. Five matches are scheduled for the show.
Roman Reigns will defend not only his World Heavyweight Championship, but also his spot as Tribal Chief against Jacob Fatu in a Tribal Combat match. Cody Rhodes will put the WWE Championship on the line against Gunther. We will also see a rematch between Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi on today’s show.
The WWE Women’s Championship will be on the line as Rhea Ripley defends against Jade Cargill, and the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship will also be on the line as Becky Lynch defends against Sol Ruca.
- World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu in a Tribal Combat match
- WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Gunther
- Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
- WWE Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Jade Cargill
- WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Sol Ruca
Our live coverage kicks off at 2 p.m. Eastern time.
Pre-Show.
Hosted by: Joe Tessitore, Big E, Peter Rosenberg & Corey Graves.
I’ll briefly run down any new news from the preshow if it occurs. They brought Sol Ruca out for an interview with the preshow panel. They had a prerecorded interview with Cody Rhodes where it felt like they talked more about Randy Orton than Gunther. Jacob Fatu also cut a promo from backstage. The crowd outside was suitably hyped for the event.
Liv Morgan replaced Graves on the panel and the crowd was nuts for her. She lent her expert opinion to Oba Femi v. Brock Lesnar.
Je’Von Evans hyped up the live crowd in the arena. Tessitore & Big E joined him in the arena to run down the Rhea Ripley/Jade Cargill match.
In the second half of the prerecorded interview with Cody, he was dismissive of Gunther beating John Cena and AJ Styles at the end of their career. However, he admitted concern about facing what may be the best version of Gunther yet.
Clash in Italy, Main Show.
Live! from Turin, Italy.
Michael Cole & Corey Graves were on commentary.
Gunther v. Cody Rhodes for the WWE Undisputed Championship
Gunther is a two-time “World” champion, but this is his first time wrestling for the WWE Undisputed Championship. The crowd serenaded Gunther down to the ring, which was kind of impressive since his theme doesn’t have any lyrics. They also sang Cody down to the ring. Cody was wearing the same gold mask he wore at WrestleMania this year.
The crowd was going nuts for everything.
Gunther landed the first real blows of the match with a pair of chops. Rhodes sprang off the ropes for his Cody Cutter, but Gunther cut that off with another chop. Gunther avoided the powerslam. Gunther nearly got the sleeper very early, but Rhodes escaped with a nice counter. Gunther then put Cody down with a solid boot. The pace was deliberate and entirely in Gunther’s favor.
Rhodes finally got things going with his speed and caught Gunther with a powerslam. Quick jabs and a bionic elbow followed. Rhodes then hit a Pedigree for a near fall.
Gunther came back and hit a thunderous powerbomb for a near fall. Gunther went for a splash off the top, but Rhodes got his knees up. Rhodes followed up with a Disaster Kick and hit the Cross Rhodes for a near fall.
Rhodes went off the top for the Cody Cutter, but Gunther stepped back and locked in a sleeper. Rhodes escaped briefly, but Gunther locked it in again. Rhodes got back to his feet and feel back to break the hold… but Gunther locked the sleeper in again, and cinched in a body scissors as well. Cody finally escaped by getting his foot on the rope.
Gunther toyed with Cody, who fired back. Gunther and Cody exchanged chops in the ring. Gunther and Cody then exchanged clotheslines. Cody finally hit the Cody Cutter, then floored Gunther with a clothesline. Rhodes hit the Cross Rhodes a second time, and got the pinfall.
But not without controversy!
On replay, you could see that Gunther’s foot was under the bottom rope at the start of the pinfall, so the referee shouldn’t have counted. He did anyway, and at two Cody pulled back on Gunther’s other leg, causing Gunther’s foot to hit the rope.
Match Result: Cody retained the WWE Undisputed Championship via pinfall over Gunther (11:35).
This was very good and I wanted more than 12 minutes of it. But the controversy clearly set up another match down the line.
Jade Cargill v. Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women’s Championship
Ripley was crazy over, and Cargill was the first performer of the night that the crowd wasn’t going absolutely crazy for. Ripley’s grandparents were from Italy and immigrated to Australia.
They did one of the longest collar and elbow tie-ups to start that I’ve ever seen. Cargill got the advantage with a knee to the gut and a slam. Cargill taunted Ripley by doing some push-ups, and Ripley responded with a hard slap. Ripley sent Cargill to the floor.
On the floor, Ripley went for a cannonball. Cargill caught her and slammed Ripley on the ring apron. She bounced Ripley off the ropes on the floor, then smacked her with a knee. Cargill continued her dominance on the floor with a fallaway slam.
Back in the ring, Ripley tried to come back with some chops, but Cargill continued to stomp away. Cargill whipped Ripley into the turnbuckles hard, then did some more push-ups. Cargill got a near fall after a snap suplex. Cargill pulled Ripley up just to knock her down with an uppercut.
Cargill got another suplex and another near fall, then slapped on a chinlock. Ripley tried to fight out with punches, but Cargill responded by yanking her down by the hair. Ripley avoided an elbow drop. Cargill charged at Ripley in the corner, but Ripley got out of the way and Cargill hit the post with her shoulder.
Ripley started to rally with short-arm clotheslines. She dumped her to the mat with a face first back suplex, then followed up with a German suplex. Cargill ducked to the floor, and Ripley followed her out with a cannonball.
Back in the ring, Cargill hit a dropkick off the top rope for a near fall. Ripley tried for a Razor’s Edge, but Cargill backdropped her way out of it. Ripley caught Cargill with a boot and both women were down.
Cargill and Ripley exchanged “Boo!/Yay!” punches. Ripley escaped the Jaded and hit a headbutt. Ripley hit a modified Razor’s Edge and then a running knee for a near fall. Ripley got Cargill up in an electric chair. Cargill flipped them over the ropes, but Ripley held on and then set Cargill face-first into the ring apron. Back in the ring, Ripley got a near fall.
Ripley went for the Riptide again. Cargill escaped and went for the Jaded, but Ripley escaped that, and Cargill countered the counter with a DDT and got a near fall. Ripley escaped a back suplex, but Cargill caught her with a Blue Thunder Bomb for another near fall.
Ripley tried to come off the top, but Ripley cut her off. Ripley delivered a backdrop superplex for another near fall.
B-Fab and Michin came to ringside. Cargill hit a pump kick, but Ripley escaped another Jaded and caught Cargill with a double stomp. Cargill hit the Riptide. B-Fab was supposed to get Cargill’s foot on the ropes and barely did, but the ref saw the interference. Ripley dropped to the floor to deal with B-Fab and Michin, but Charlotte Flair came off the ring barricade with a crossbody to take care of B-Fab and Michin.
Cargill hit the Jaded near the ropes, and Flair put Ripley’s foot on the ropes to break up that cover. Ripley then hit another Riptide and got the pinfall.
Match Result: Rhea Ripley retained by pinfall over Jade Cargill (16:54).
Two finishes in a row involving getting the foot on the ropes?
— Various Italian celebrities were shown around ringside. Also Michael Cole outed Corey Graves as a Bollywood movie star in some kind of inside joke that went over my head.
Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman) v. Oba Femi
The crowd sang Lesnar down to the ring. Lesnar’s theme is another theme that doesn’t have lyrics. This was Lesnar’s first match in Europe since 2002! The crowd was also nuts for Oba Femi’s entrance as well. Paul Heyman even got big babyface heat for taking the microphone from Alicia Taylor.
Brock jumped Oba before the bell and hit an F5. Lesnar then hit a second F5. Oba was slow to recover and then ate a third F5. Lesnar hit a fourth F5 and went for the cover, but Oba kicked out at 2.
Heyman called for the Kimura, and Brock locked it in. Femi spent some time in the hold, but eventually powered up, and then escaped by driving Lesnar down with a spinebuster.
Lesnar tried for the Kimura again, but Femi escaped by driving Lesnar into the turnbuckles. Femi went for a choke slam, but Lesnar escaped and hit a fifth F5… but Femi kicked out at two again!
Lesnar went fore the F5 again, but Femi escaped and caught Lesnar with a chokeslam for two. Femi hit a clothesline that sent both Lesnar and Femi to the floor.
On the floor, Lesnar whipped Femi into the ringpost. He went for the Kimura again, but Femi escaped. Lesnar then put Femi through the commentary table with the sixth(!!!) F5 of the match. Lesnar got in the ring and referee Chad Patton started to count.
At seven, Femi popped up and walked right back into the ring. Lesnar was slumped over in the corner and couldn’t believe it. Femi came at Brock with a series of back elbows, and tossed him to the mat. Femi went for the pop-up powerbomb, but Brock escaped, hit a seventh F5, and got the pinfall.
Match Result: Brock Lesnar pinned Oba Femi (6:21).
WWE: we put the “E” in “fifty/fifty booking.”
Yeah, I know there’s no E in there.
— Guilia, The Vision, and Santino Marella were shown in the crowd.
— A fantastic comic-book themed recap of the El Grande Americano v. El Grande Americano feud (from the AAA side only) was shown. It was so good I may go watch that show after this one.
Sol Ruca v. Becky Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship
I think there’s a lot of pressure on Ruca to deliver in this one, and it was on her face as she walked to the ring. Or maybe she’s just that good at selling. Of course, Jessica Karr is the referee for this match.
Ruca planted Lynch to the mat face first. Ruca then sent Lynch into the middle turnbuckle face first, then hit a standing moonsault for a near fall. Lynch sent Ruca to the floor with a clothesline. Ruca hit Lynch with a moonsault off the top rope to the floor.
Ruca tossed Lynch back into the ring for a near fall. Ruca caught Lynch with a sunset flip out of the corner for a near fall. Ruca tried for a springboard off the ropes, but Lynch tripped her up. Lynch and Ruca exchanged punches, and then Ruca helpfully dived to the floor when Lynch pulled down the top rope.
On the floor, Lynch tossed Ruca into the barricade. Back in the ring, Lynch came off the top with a legdrop for a near fall. Lynch and Ruca exchanged uppercuts. Lynch caught Ruca with a spin kick to the gut. Ruca came back with a spinning back elbow. Ruca hit a release German suplex, then came off the middle ropes with a shotgun dropkick.
Ruca got a near fall off a running knee. Lynch rolled out of the ring to regroup. Ruca set up for a dive, but Lynch got back in the ring. Ruca hit a dropkick and then went for the Sol Snatcher, but Lynch countered into an armbar. Ruca countered that and got an STF, but Lynch escaped that and went to the Dis-arm-her.
Karr had to duck out of the ring to avoid Lynch and Ruca charging at her, and Lynch went for a roll-up. Karr was late to make the count, so it only got two. Lynch complained, and Ruca took advantage with a dropkick.
Lynch and Ruca fought in the corner. Lynch set up for a superplex, but Ruca escaped with a headbutt, then yanked Lynch to the mat with a top rope X-Factor for a near fall. Ruca went to the top, but Lynch grabbed Karr. Karr yanked away and went into the ropes, which caused Ruca to crotch herself. Lynch hit a superpex and then went for a DDT, but Ruca blocked that with a handspring and hit a dropkick on Lynch.
Lynch rolled to the floor and Ruca kipped up. Ruca hit a Flying Space Tiger Drop (barely) and tossed Lynch back into the ring. Ruca came in with a springboard and dove right into a Manhandle Slam. Lynch got a near fall.
Lynch went for a Sol Snatcher (seriously?) and Ruca caught Lynch with a Manhandle Slam for a near fall. Ruca tried for for a Sol Snatcher, but wound up in a fireman’s carry. Ruca escaped with a sunset flip. Lynch went for another Manhandle Slam, but Ruca jumped onto the middle turnbuckle and came off with a Sol Snatcher and we have our first new champion of the night!
Match Result: Sol Ruca pinned Becky Lynch to become the NEW! Women’s Intercontinental Champion (14:00).
Is this tension between Karr and Lynch ever going to pay off with a match?
— Iso Sky, Je-Von Evans, Lyra Valkyria and Ethan Page were shown in the crown.
— The brackets for the King and Queen of the Ring will be unveiled on the Clash in Italy post-show. So that’s something to stay tuned in for.
Jacob Fatu v. Roman Reigns in “Tribal Combat” for the World Heavyweight Championship
This match is no count-outs, no disqualifications, and the first pinfall or submission wins the match. The winner becomes the head of the family as well as the World Champion. And the loser must acknowledge the winner as his Tribal Chief.
The referee held up the Ula Fala at the start of the match. Because that’s what’s really important. (Actually, the Ula Fala has been around longer than Roman’s world title so maybe I should keep that snarky comment to myself.)
There was at least 90 seconds of walking around before they touched. Roman went to a side headlock, but Fatu reversed into one of his own. Fatu sent Roman down with a clothesline. Roman came back and floored Fatu with a clothesline.
Fatu hit Roman with a spinning elbow. He went for the Tongan Death Grip, but Roman escaped. Fatu followed him out with a tope while Cole and Graves on commentary acknowledged (and then buried) the rumors that Fatu was injured.
Fatu and Reigns brawled through the arena into the crowd. They started to fight up the stairs (which are notably wider than any stairs I’ve ever seen in an American arena). Fatu sent Roman headfirst into the handrail of the stairs. Fatu rammed Roman’s head into a chair. They brawled to a concession stand that had to be set up for them to brawl around. Roman threw some of the food (it looked like boxed Goldfish crackers) into the crowd.
They brawled their way back to the ringside area. The crowd chanted “we want tables!” Fatu started looking for tables under the ring, which allowed Roman to come back and punch Fatu down. Roman then went to pull a table from under the ring. Fatu came back and tried to set up the table. Roman hit him with a boot, then slid the table into the ring, then turned around into another attack from Fatu.
So basically, every time one of them went for the table, it was an opening for the other to come back and hit a move.
The stairs also wound up in the ring (I think courtesy of Fatu). Fatu tried to get back in the ring with Roman, but Roman knocked him to the floor. Roman then threw the stairs at Fatu. Roman stalked Fatu around ringside and hit him with a Drive By, sending the back of Fatu’s head into the ringpost.
Back in the ring, Roman hit a pair of flying clotheslines. Roman backed Fatu in the corner and laid into him with more clotheslines. Roman booted Fatu to the mat. Fatu ducked a Superman Punch and floored Roman with a clothesline. Fatu dropped on Roman with a senton.
Fatu splashed Roman in the corner, then headbutted him in the corner dieci (10) times. Fatu hit a hip attack in the corner. Fatu went for a pop-up Samoan Drop, but Roman countered with a Superman Punch for two.
Roman went for the spear, but Fatu caught him with the Tongan Death Grip. Roman tried to fight out of it, but Fatu sent him to the floor. Fatu went for a dive out of the ring, but Roman caught him with a Superman Punch, and both guys were down and out on the floor.
You know, I guess the Italian crowd should be behind Reigns, since he’s Roman. (I can’t believe it took me 16 minutes to come up with that one).
Roman found a toolbox under the ring. Reigns smashed Fatu’s right hand with the toolbox, and now the Tongan Death Grip will no longer be a factor. To make sure, he smashed the toolbox against Fatu’s hand, while Fatu was holding onto the stairs for some reason.
Roman set up a table in the corner. He went to spear Fatu through the table, but Fatu cut that off and hit him with another hip attack. Reigns dropped to the floor. Fatu charged at Reigns for a spear, but Reigns cut him off with a Superman Punch.
Reigns then speared Fatu through the barricade and crushed two dudes who were standing behind the barricade. One of them was either selling great or had seriously injured his shoulder. Back in the ring, Reigns hit Fatu with a spear and got a near fall.
Reigns started talking trash to Fatu about how he didn’t need anyone’s help to win matches, and started yanking the turnbuckles off the top ropes. Fatu tried for the Tongan Death Grip, but his hand was too messed up. Reigns hit a pair of Superman Punches, but Fatu shook them off. Reigns sent Fatu headfirst into the exposed buckles, but Fatu hit Reigns with a spear for a near fall.
Fatu went for the Best Moonsault Ever, but Reigns got out of the way. Reigns tried for a spear, but Fatu caught him with a pop-up Samoan Drop, then hit the Best Moonsault Ever. Fatu went for the cover, but Roman kicked out at two, while giving Fatu a low blow at the same time.
Roman and Fatu exchanged punches. Fatu locked in the Tongan Death Grip, but Reigns broke free. Reigns sent Fatu headfirst into the hook holding the ropes together a good 8-10 times, then speared him through the table. And Fatu made it to his feet before Roman did. Roman ran the ropes and hit a final spear to finally finish off his cousin.
Match Result: Roman Reigns defeated Jacob Fatu to retain the World Title, keep the Ula Fala, and remain Head of the Table, pinning him following a spear (27:11).
This was every bit of a great WWE main event match.
Tomorrow night on Raw, Jacob Fatu must acknowledge Roman Reigns and “serve him, work for him and love him.” Fatu must acknowledge Roman as his Tribal Chief.
After the match, The Usos came out to present Reigns with the Ula Fala. But then also shown watching from the crowd at the end of the show was Solo Sikoa and the Tongans. The Usos called Fatu to leave with him, but Fatu stayed behind and had stare down with Sikoa. Jey Uso finally got his attention and Fatu left (several steps behind) his Tribal Chief.
Just as the show was going off the air, you could hearing Reigns calling out “QB1.”
In the post-show, Roman cut a promo about how he was “trying to do things the right way” while acknowledging the chatter of guys like LA Knight and Royce Keyes as his next potential challengers. Jacob Fatu was staring daggers through Roman in the background.
Final Thoughts:
They were promising a WrestleMania level show. This wasn’t that, but it was fine. It felt like a blowaway show thanks to the amazing crowd that was into almost everything. Cody/Gunther is fine and Roman/Fatu was great. Brock/Oba was explosive, but Brock’s win was predictable and now I’m not sure if Oba Femi is going to be as special as he was. If you like the Samoan family drama, more of that is coming.
