This weekend is the 2020 edition of Clash of Champions, “The one night a year where every championship in WWE must be defended”, this year is bound to be an interesting one. Today, however, I am going to give my opinion on the top five men’s matches, in the history of the FKA Night of Champions, and the now named Clash of Champions. So let’s start the list.
5. Sheamus vs. Cesaro, Clash of Champions 2016
The first match in the countdown is a very hard-hitting match from the 2016 edition of Clash of Champions. Cesaro and Sheamus were in a heated best of 7 series of matches that started in August at the month prior’s Summerslam. As most of the ‘best of 7 series’ in wrestling it went to the final seventh match on this show.
These two were hitting each other hard all match as well as hitting signature moves throughout and this is arguably the best wrestling match Sheamus has ever had and probably hasn’t matched it since. That’s the chemistry of these two as opponents, especially coming into this one. The only reason it isn’t higher on the list is the finish which was a no contest. The no-contest came when these two were fighting for a good 15 minutes and Cesaro hits a simple clothesline over the barricade. This was a weird end as both guys could easily continue, so this would definitely be higher if not for that finish.
Ultimately this would lead to these two becoming a tag team, The Bar, and you could argue again this was the best run of both men, character-wise for sure. If you haven’t seen this match, or haven’t seen it in a while watch it again, it’s a good one.
4. CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy (World Heavyweight Championship), Night of Champions 2009
This feud began when CM Punk cashed in Money in the Bank on Jeff Hardy after Jeff had beaten Edge for the championship, their first singles bout over the championship ended in a DQ when CM Punk got himself disqualified by striking the referee. So this bout would be the next chapter in the story.
These two had a hell of a match that saw a lot of back and forth action, trading of signature moves, and finishing moves. CM Punk hit a GTS, and at the time it was very rare for someone to kick out of it but Jeff Hardy did. This frustrated Punk who tried to bail on the match by taking his championship and walking out, Jeff Hardy, however, wouldn’t let that happen as he would bring Punk back in as they trade strikes and Jeff gets Punk in the corner the ref breaks up the corner encounter which ultimately leads to Punks downfall here as he receives and Twist of Fate, and a Swanton to once again crown Jeff Hardy the champion.
The fall out of this match would lead to a rematch at the next month’s Summerslam where Punk we regain the championship. Jeff would immediately get a rematch on the next episode of Smackdown where Jeff would have to leave WWE if he lost, which he did, and that would be the end of Jeff Hardy in WWE for seven years. Watch this match if you want to see CM Punk before his prime having a banger of a match with Jeff Hardy here. Is it the best match in the rivalry absolutely not but a great match as far as the history of Night/Clash of Champions.
3. Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan (WWE Championship), Night of Champions 2013
This match is great for the story alone, now again this isn’t the best match in the series of matches these two have, but it is a hell of a match. Bryan had beaten John Cena for the championship at Summerslam the month before but would be cashed in on by Randy Orton who won Money in the Bank the month before, resulting in the birth of The Authority.
This match would start off slow and as time went on continue to pick up and get better and better in my opinion. This being the first singles match at the beginning of this feud, it definitely picked up each time these two had a match. The story coming in was Bryan had to work from the bottom to earn this opportunity and he wasn’t gonna stop to get it. The numerous reversals in this match built up to end. The referee, Scott Armstrong also began his rise as the referee in all the main stories. He would be accidentally taken out by Orton in this match off a Bryan reversal, which ultimately leads a fast count at the end after Bryan hit his running knee.
The following night, Bryan would be stripped of the title because of the fast count by Armstrong, and Bryan would go on to face Orton at the next two pay-per-views, ultimately this was the true rise of Daniel Bryan at the following years Wrestlemania, even if it wasn’t supposed to happen. Check out this match because the story of the match alone draws you in and the ongoing feud between Bryan and Orton which is pretty great.
2. The Usos vs. New Day vs. Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable vs. Rusev & Aiden English (Smackdown Tag Team Championship), Clash of Champions 2017
This is hands down, one of the best multi-team standard ‘fatal-4-way’ matches ever. It was fast-paced right out the gate, and almost never slowed down. The Usos had been in a very personal feud with New Day and had been trading the championships with them for the better part of the year, they came into this show on a two-month reign at this point, and more tag teams were finally showing up in a big way here.
Benjamin and Gable, Rusev and English at this time were working their way up the division. Benjamin and Gable, in particular, had earned title shots but lost their first shot by count-out. They would earn another shot, thanks to that count-out finish, that also included the New Day. Rusev and English earned their place in this match by beating New Day before this pay-per-view.
This match unlike most fatal 4 way tags that one has two legal men, this match had a legal man from each team. This would result in a lot of fast-paced action, and trading of signature moves. The finish of this match saw Chad Gable hit a pair of chaos theory suplexes on Big E, and Aiden English, he would go for a third on Jey Uso, but Jimmy Uso would stop it leading to two straight superkicks by Jimmy and an Uso Splash by Jey for the win.
This might not be the longest match, as it clocks in at exactly twelve minutes, but it’s worth the watch for the fast-paced action, and the fluidity in which it is done. All four teams put on a show, and that’s it is number two on this list and why it is worth watching again.
1. CM Punk vs. John Cena (WWE Championship), Night of Champions 2012
Another chapter in the long-running feud between John Cena and CM Punk. CM Punk had been well into his title reign that would ultimately end at 434 days, the longest reign of the modern era. These two had been feuding again at this point since the 1000th episode of Raw, where John Cena announced his Money in the Bank cash-in for that night, that would end in a DQ thanks to Big Show. Those three would have a triple threat at Summerslam, CM Punk would steal the pin after Cena hit an Attitude Adjustment on Big Show. Following this show CM Punk was granted the opportunity to pick his opponent, and said he’d pick John Cena only if, Cena admitted Punk was “Best In the World”, Cena refused, and General Manager AJ Lee made the match anyway for this show.
As always Punk and Cena had another stellar match up, with back and forth action, and storytelling throughout the match. It was hard-hitting. there were false finishes as always. Punk would escape with the championship once again however in one of the best draws in WWE history. The finish came when Cena hit a beautiful avalanche German suplex with a bridging pin. Cena thought he won, but the referee would call it off as both men had their shoulders down. So it was a draw and CM Punk remained the champion.
As stated earlier this was in the middle of the history-making 434-day title reign of CM Punk, and I think this match is forgotten as obviously it’s not the best match in the Cena/Punk saga of matches, but this one is a hell of a match that people sleep on and it’s definitely worth checking out again because it’s my best men’s match in the history of Night/Clash of Champions shows.
Is there a men’s Night/Clash of Champions match that didn’t make the cut, that you believe should be on the list? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @SLTDWrestling.
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