WWE Clash Of Champions 2016: 10 Things That Must Happen
Owens & Rollins fighting over the WWE Universal Title simply has to headline this Sunday...
Going into the first (post-WWE Draft) Raw-exclusive pay-per-view this weekend, the promotion can look at a card vastly superior on paper to their SmackDown Live counterparts. Backlash felt a little lacking before actually kicking off, whereas Clash Of Champions can boast a hatful of matches that have garnered real interest.
It's impossible to envision matches like Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins or Sami Zayn vs. Chris Jericho being bad, for example, but even these bouts still come with some risk factor. WWE's creative team have to pull through and give Monday Night Raw the initial supershow the brand deserves. To do so, there are certain things they must book.
After the drama of Finn Balor's injury woes and subsequent vacating of the WWE Universal Title, the red-tinted belt desperately needs some stability. First and foremost, this is something management must focus on, they cannot afford to drop the ball on the reign of Kevin Owens.
From major title defences and ultimate comebacks, to complete squashes and exactly which match is picked to headline, here are ten things that must happen at Clash Of Champions...
10. Emphasis On The Importance Of The Titles
Somewhere in the build to the pay-per-view, it's been tacked on that Clash Of Champions is all about that range of titles which exist on Monday Night Raw. WWE haven't laboured the point on television, but it would have been nice to see more emphasis on the actual championships themselves.
These titles are supposed to be crown jewels in the company, but that idea hasn't exactly been hammered home in relentless fashion. It's not too late to do so, and that must be the overall atmosphere as soon as the Clash Of Champions Kickoff show begins. Renee Young and her panel have to put across how the landscape of Raw can change with each title switch.
Of course, as the 'World' Title on the brand, the Universal belt should be pushed as Raw's top prize. On the other side of the gender divide, the Women's Title must be talked up as the superior strap females can pursue in WWE.
Right out of the gate, the creative team should push titles to the forefront. Those belts are what a pay-per-view like Clash Of Champions must be all about.