Storylines
The event comprised eight matches, including one on the Kickoff pre-show, that resulted from scripted storylines. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the Raw brand,[4][5] while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television show, Monday Night Raw.[6]
At SummerSlam, Finn Bálor became the first WWE Universal Champion by defeating Seth Rollins.[7] However, he was forced to vacate the championship the next night on Raw due to suffering a legit shoulder injury during the match. Rollins, Kevin Owens, Big Cass, and Roman Reigns all won matches to qualify for a fatal four-way elimination match the next week on Raw for the vacant Universal Championship.[8] After Owens eliminated Cass, a returning Triple H helped Rollins eliminate Reigns, before turning on Rollins and helping Owens win the championship.[9] The next week, Rollins turned face and attacked Owens during his celebration ceremony. Raw general manager Mick Foley then scheduled Owens to defend his championship against Rollins at Clash of Champions.
Rusev had been scheduled to defend the United States Championship against Roman Reigns at SummerSlam, but the match didn't happen because the two brawled before the match, with Reigns standing tall in the end.[7] Having been deprived of his chance at the WWE Universal Championship in the four-way elimination match, Reigns confronted Owens on the September 5 episode of Raw. General Manager Mick Foley promised to add Reigns to the title match at Clash of Champions if he could defeat Owens in a non-title match the following week.[10] Reigns lost the match, first by disqualification when Seth Rollins attacked Owens. Foley then restarted the match, but Rusev came down to the ring and distracted Reigns, allowing Owens to score a pinfall.[11] The following week, a match between Rollins and Rusev, which had been booked as punishment for their interference the previous week, ended in a double countout.[12] Reigns was then granted a rematch against Rusev for the U.S. title at Clash of Champions.[12]
At SummerSlam, The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) lost to Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson by disqualification when Big E returned from injury and interfered in the match. However, The New Day remained Raw Tag Team Champions.[7] On the September 5 episode of Raw, a rematch was scheduled for Clash of Champions.[10] On the September 12 episode, Kingston and Woods lost a non-title rematch against Gallows and Anderson.[11]
At SummerSlam, Charlotte defeated Sasha Banks to regain the Raw Women's Championship.[7] During the match, Banks suffered a legit back injury and then took time off to heal. On the September 5 episode of Raw, Bayley defeated Charlotte after a failed distraction from Charlotte's valet, Dana Brooke. Banks teased a retirement, but then revealed that she would be cleared to compete by Clash of Champions and invoked her rematch clause for the championship at the event.[10] The next week, a confrontation between all four women led to a triple threat match to decide Charlotte's challenger at Clash of Champions. Banks defeated Bayley and Brooke to secure her title opportunity,[11] but a week later, after replays showed Banks's shoulders being down as well as Bayley's when she pinned her, Bayley was added to the title match, making it a triple threat match.[12]
On the September 12 episode of Raw, Sami Zayn was the guest on Chris Jericho's "Highlight Reel". After both men insulted each other, Jericho attacked Zayn with a cell phone and a Codebreaker. Later, a match between the two was scheduled for Clash of Champions.[11]
A best of seven-series between Cesaro and Sheamus began at SummerSlam. Sheamus won the first three matches at SummerSlam and on the August 29 and September 5 episodes of Raw to lead the series 3–0.[7][9][10] However, Cesaro won the next three matches on a September 7 house show and on the September 12 and 19 episodes of Raw to even the series at 3–3.[11][12][13] The seventh match to decide the series was set for Clash of Champions.
T. J. Perkins won the inaugural Cruiserweight Classic and became the inaugural WWE Cruiserweight Champion by defeating Gran Metalik in the final.[14] On the September 19 episode of Raw, The Brian Kendrick defeated Metalik, Cedric Alexander, and Rich Swann in a fatal four-way match to earn a title match against Perkins at Clash of Champions.[12]
On the September 12 episode of Raw, a match between Alicia Fox and Nia Jax ended in a no contest when Jax tackled Fox through the barricade.[11] On September 19, a rematch was scheduled for the Clash of Champions Kickoff pre-show.[12]
