On Saturday, the WWE will bring a stadium premium live event to the United Kingdom for the first time in more than 30 years when Clash at the Castle arrives in Wales. It’s a big show with major stakes and the continuation of big storylines.
In the main event, Drew McIntyre will look to use something of a home-court advantage to score the biggest win of his career when he takes on Roman Reigns for the undisputed WWE universal championship. The SmackDown women’s title and intercontinental championship will also both be on the line.
Let’s take a closer look at who our CBS Sports experts predict will come out on top at WWE Clash at the Castle, which begins Saturday at 1 p.m. ET from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales and streams live on Peacock.
2022 WWE Clash at the Castle predictions
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
At some point, WWE needs to split the two world titles. It just isn’t working to have Reigns absent from programming so often, taking the two biggest belts off of television. Raw has elevated Bobby Lashley and the United States title along with a very strong set of stories on the women’s side of the show, but SmackDown needs something as an anchor. Unfortunately, this match is set up with both belts on the line and I don’t see WWE moving them both off of Reigns. Instead, Reigns will likely win with enough controversy to carry the feud forward another month or two, setting up a situation where the belts can be split somehow. McIntyre likely ends up world champion once again in the near future, but it probably doesn’t happen in Wales unless something about the structure of the match changes before the bell rings. Pick: Roman Reigns retains the title — Brent Brookhouse
It is refreshing to have a WWE main event with an uncertain outcome. The company’s commitment to multi-layer storytelling is paying off with an anticipated world title match that could go either way. The Bloodline’s unrivaled dominance makes Reigns the deserved favorite. McIntyre’s renewed fire and the support of the European crowd make him a believable threat. The outcome is further blurred by the potential involvement of Killer Kross, Money in the Bank briefcase holder Theory and the perpetually intertwined duo of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Reigns will likely enter WrestleMania with at least one world title if a dream match against The Rock is still on the table. Closing out a major show with an indecisive finish is generally a buzzkill but it may be necessary for this circumstance. Kross could attack both men (or just McIntyre) to end the bout in disqualification or no-contest. Theory could cash in and take a pinfall, leading to some sort of convoluted outcome where Reigns and McIntyre split the two world titles. Either way, Reigns will remain a world champion and McIntyre will stay strong. Pick: Drew McIntyre wins but Roman Reigns retains — Shakiel Mahjouri
SmackDown Women’s Championship — Liv Morgan (c) vs. Shayna Baszler
Morgan’s title reign has not gotten off to the best start. The SummerSlam match with Ronda Rousey was something of a disaster, with Morgan winning because the referee missed her tapping out — which is a terrible way to book a babyface champion. As such, she needs something of a get-right showing at Clash. Baszler gives Morgan the opportunity to face a Rousey-style opponent from the world of MMA and prove she can hang. That’s what she’ll do. Pick: Liv Morgan retains the title — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)
Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss & Asuka vs. Bayley, Dakota Kai & IYO SKY
Kai and SKY were the surefire favorites to win the vacant women’s tag team titles on Monday night Raw. The emergence of Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah as champions was a genuine surprise. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but Bayley’s group must win back momentum immediately. This outcome is an example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Belair, Asuka and Bliss have the star power, but Bayley’s faction must be presented as a cohesive, tactical force that can overcome their opponents’ individual strengths. Pick: Bayley, Dakota Kai and IYO SKY win — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)
Matt Riddle vs. Seth Rollins
It seems the only logical result here is for Riddle to get a win. Rollins has gotten over on Riddle too many times in a row and now Riddle needs to get the win here to re-establish himself. There are some outside-the-ring issues currently surrounding Riddle that could cause WWE to choose to go with Rollins here, but it feels like from a strictly “good booking” perspective, there’s no way you can’t put Riddle over here. Pick: Matt Riddle wins — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)
Intercontinental Championship — Gunther (c) vs. Sheamus
Regardless of the outcome, Gunther vs. Sheamus promises to be a hard-hitting delight. Gunther’s run in NXT UK rightfully cemented him as an Internet darling. Sheamus has been WWE’s premier brawling brute for over a decade. There has been a desire to see the intercontinental title return to its former glory. The title has been an afterthought for far too long, but Gunther appears positioned to restore some prestige to the belt. Pick: Gunther retains the title — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)
Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. The Judgement Day
One of Triple H’s better decisions during these early days of his tenure leading creative has been the slow transition out of the Vince McMahon era. He is adding new wrinkles to the program without aggressively tossing what isn’t working. Judgement Day has been terribly mishandled for most of its existence, but the individual talents of its members are undeniable. Edge and Mysterio are practically bulletproof and should be fine taking a loss to Balor’s squad. Pick: The Judgement Day wins — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)
