9 WWE Clash Of Champions 2020: Gold Rush Impulse Reactions

7. Asuka (c) Vs. Zelina Vega

Asuka Zelina Vega
WWE

The omens weren't good for Asuka and Zelina Vega after a wonky month on television for the pair of them ahead of this first time pay-per-view singles match.

Vega's character has been horribly compromised by the losses her teams have suffered in 2020, while the 'Empress Of Tomorrow' was in need of a mini-banger to reignite a spell dampened by her up-and-down programmes with Sasha Banks, Bayley and Mickie James.

Vega's relative inexperience compared to her opponent was well masked here, with this contest going substantially better than the Raw match with James that won her this spot in the first place. It went short, but perhaps that too was to ensure that the Challenger looked good even defeat.

A slick transition into the Asuka Lock won it for the Champion, but a cool post-match double cross by Vega gave her some agency after a sound defeat. Perhaps that was just a nice character moment rather than cause for a rematch? We'll know in less than 24 hours.

 
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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett