WWE Clash at the Castle 2022 review: no SummerSlam ’92 but blimey that Intercontinental Championship match!

Long have we waited for a major UK Premium Live Event from WWE. Not since 1992, Wembley Stadium at SummerSlam have we, here in the UK, had the chance, and that event has lived on in legend ever since. So now, under Triple H’s new regime of WWE, Clash at the Castle is here, live from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. The first UK PLE since Insurrextion 2003 and first major one since that aforementioned day in London 30 years ago. So, is Clash at the Castle an event equally worth remembering, well, partially…

1. Madcap Moss and The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) vs. Austin Theory and Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis) (Kick-Off Show)

We got a kick-off show match, which feels like a while since that happened. This six-man tag match was a good crowd starter and already here you got a sign of how hot the UK crowd were going to be, the atmosphere was clear from the off. This was fine for what it was, practically a weekly TV show/live show match but everyone filled the six and a half minutes well enough before the face team of Street Profits and Madcap Moss got the win.

The opening denoted the historical aspects of this show and showed off that rather cool dragon.

2. Damage Control (Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky) vs. Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, and Asuka

Starting us off rather well was this six women tag match, set up at SummerSlam and in the weeks since. It was a slow building but entertaining match, that gave itself time to unfold, eventually getting going, though the crowd was pro-Bayley from the off. It found its groove and built well to the concluding moments where Bayley got the inevitable win for her team and the pinfall on a laid out Bianca Belair, to have bragging rights over the Raw women’s champ. This is clearly not over.

3. WWE Intercontinental Championship Match

Gunther (c) (w/ Imperium (Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci) vs. Sheamus (w/ The Brawling Brutes (Ridge Holland and Butch)

Starting off with the biggest and most pleasant surprise of the night as Giovanni Vinci joined Ludwig Kaiser in accompanying Gunther to the ring, meaning that Imperium is back! This contest did not waste anytime either as Vinci and Kaiser went at it with Ridge Holland and Butch, as Sheamus and Gunther stared each other down in the ring amidst the mayhem. Eventually order was gained, it was one on one, and away we went on what just might be the best WWE PLE match of the year. Gunther’s aim to restore prestige to the classic WWE Intercontinental Championship is already working because his match with Sheamus set a bar nobody could hope to surpass. This was a blistering, bruising and hard hitting fight. A great ring story was told through pure physicality, as both men knocked seven shades out of each other (Sheamus’ chest was coated in welts). Every chop had meaning, every punch had purpose, and this battle of warriors was one that had you enthralled for nearly 20 glorious minutes. Eventually Gunther capitalised on Sheamus’ tweaked lower back with another power bomb to get the win. As Sheamus himself said, this was a “banger” and the crowd’s respectful ovation afterwards was richly deserved. What a match.

4. WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship Match

Liv Morgan (c) vs. Shayna Baszler

After a less than great title run so far, this match went some way into rehabbing Liv Morgan’s image as champion. That said, despite her sustaining Shayna Baszler’s onslaught and getting the clean as a sheet win with Oblivion, I am still struggling to buy it. The presentation so far has been so weak, that Liv’s win here struggled to sell but hopefully over the next few weeks this validation can keep rolling and repair the previous damage.

5. Edge and Rey Mysterio (w/ Dominik Mysterio) vs. The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (w/ Rhea Ripley)

Naturally the crowd were white hot for Edge and this tag team match was enjoyable enough, again nothing we haven’t seen on the weekly programming but it chugged along nicely, even though the crushingly obvious aftermath loomed. The Judgment Day faction is still adjusting really but I think they might get there, even though they keep losing. Which they did again here, as Finn Balor got 619’d and speared for the Edge victory. After the match Dominik Mysterio low blowed Edge and clotheslined his father Rey Mysterio in a heel turn I think most of us saw coming. Let’s see what he does with his new “family”. 

6. Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Matt Riddle

The long delayed clash between The Original Bro Matt Riddle and Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins (nice to have first names bak again), has arguably been the best built feud on WWE TV lately, and thankfully their long overdue match here delivered. Mixing heavy impact power moves, with technical wrestling and some high flying spots, this was a versatile match, which was the show’s second best contest, and which was refreshing, in that it gave Seth his first PLE win since January, and his first by pinfall since June 2021 if you can believe it! After he crushed Riddle with a second rope curb stomp, it was all over, and this devastating finish left Riddle with an almighty lump on his head. This really delivered and yet I feel like the best is yet to come with these two and their really engaging rivalry, which has kicked into gear even more now that it’s personal. Bring it on.

7. WWE Undisputed Universal Championship Match

Roman Reigns (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

In the weeks prior, Drew McIntyre has taken out all of The Bloodline, so it was quite novel to see Roman Reigns enter alone. This match was what everything was building too. Presented with a personal dimension, as Drew lobbied for this event and this chance for the UK, and this – if he won – would be his first title win in front of a live crowd, let alone his home crowd. Tyson Fury was in attendance watching, Drew came out with his fan favourite “Broken Dreams” song, and we were set for the match that put ‘Clash’ in Clash at the Castle. There were theories on who would turn up, what would happen and who would win…well c’mon folks its Roman. So a win is a guarantee. And he did. There was no Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart and The British Bulldog moment here, as Drew – while game – was defeated by Reigns, in a very Vince McMahon-style overbooked finish. The match was fine, and the crowd infused it with atmosphere but a failed cash-in by Austin Theory (thanks to a right hand from Tyson Fury), led to a screwy finish where the Roman’s interfering new cousin Solo Sikoa cost Drw the match and left him prone to a spear and a loss. The never-ending reign continues, and with Solo The Bloodline is even bigger. The aftermath with a defeated Drew singing “Sweet Caroline” in the ring with Tyson Fury just felt quite flat and sad really. Feel good it was not.

Overall, despite its universal acclaim, this show boiled down to three things. The Intercontinental Championship classic, Rollins/Riddle and the UK crowd. These three factors ensured that the show stood out, despite an otherwise predictable card, which lacked spark. Turns happened that were expected, winners were called and the main event had no real shock value other than the fact we had karaoke after it. It was missing something, be it a big face or major return. 

For all the praise, this was just an ok show and we are still waiting for this new era to kick in properly. The weekly TV has vastly improved but many of the most interesting things from it (Karrion Kross, Sami Zayn in the The Bloodline, Kevin Owens’ resurgence, Johnny Gargano’s main roster debut, The Miz & Dexter Lumis’ Michael Myers esque programme) were not a part of this show. Things have changed but WWEs PLE hit rate remains so-so. That said Clash at the Castle will historically be remembered as significant, and its IC Title match will likely be placed as a landmark moment in the title’s rejuvenation. Things have undeniably been changing positively, but hopefully, Extreme Rules in October can get things really going on and put its foot down!