WWE CLASH AT THE CASTLE PREVIEW & PREDICTIONS (6/15): Machado’s look at Priest vs. Drew, Cody vs. Styles, Sami Zayn vs. Chad Gable, Bayley vs. Niven, Women’s Triple Threat

On June 15, 2024, the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland will host WWE Clash at the Castle: Scotland.

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. A.J. Styles, Undisputed WWE Universal Championship “I Quit” match

Story in a nutshell: After failing to win the Undisputed WWE Championship, AJ Styles faked his retirement in order to blindside Cody Rhodes who, in anger, agreed top give Styles a shot in an “I Quit” match.

A.J. Styles adopted a harder edge leading up to his challenge for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Backlash France. Cody successfully defended his title. Styles approached Smackdown GM Nick Aldis hoping to get another shot at Cody and his title. Aldis told Styles that he would have to earn another title shot. Later, rumors began to swirl that Styles might be considering retirement. Styles addressed the crowd saying that he doesn’t have it in him to go “back to the end of the line” and that it might be time to call it quits. Styles called Cody to the ring and seemingly passed the torch to Cody. Styles then blindsided Cody and worked him over.

The retirement was a ruse to get close to Cody and get Cody to lower his guard in the hopes that the ambush would provoke an angry response from Cody. It worked. Cody gave Styles a title shot with the added caveat that it would be an “I Quit” match.
Prediction and analysis: Cody wins.

Damian Priest (c) vs. Drew McIntyre – World Heavyweight Championship match

Story in a nutshell: Drew McIntyre gets his rematch after he lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Damien Priest minutes after McIntyre won it when Priest cashed in his Money in the Bank contract.

Drew McIntyre defeated Seth Rollins at WrestleMania to finally win the World Heavyweight Championship in front of a live crowd. McIntyre’s elation would be short-lived as he taunted CM Punk who was on commentary. Punk (cowardly) attacked McIntyre. Damien Priest who held the Money in the Bank contract, saw his opportunity, cashed it in, and pinned McIntyre to capture the title. Later, Priest agreed to give McIntyre a rematch as soon as McIntyre was cleared by medical to wrestle again. Luckily for McIntyre, it was just in time for the match to happen in front of his home crowd. McIntyre later faced Balor in a match in order to determine whether or not the Judgment Day could be at ringside for the championship match. McIntyre won so the Judgment Day is barred from ringside.

Prediction and analysis: The Judgment Day is barred from ringside, but Carlito is not officially in the Judgment Day, so I expect him to get involved, maybe even accidentally costing Priest the match. I expect McIntyre to win in front of his hometown crowd barring any interference from CM Punk (if they think it worth flying him to Scotland just for this). If Punk does get involved, I’d like to see Punk actually help McIntyre win robbing McIntyre of the satisfaction of an untainted victory over Priest. Punk can then used that fact to drive McIntyre mad.

Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable – WWE Intercontinental Championship match

Story in a nutshell: As Chad Gable has continued to heap abuse upon Otis and the rest of Alpha Academy, has Otis had enough as Chad challenges Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship?

Chad Gable continues his feud with Sami Zayn as Gable seeks to finally win the WWE Intercontinental Championship that has eluded him for so long (and has driven him to the dark side). Gable has continued to hurl abuse at the members of the Alpha Academy while Zayn has tried to get them to dump Gable. This has led to some inadvertent misunderstandings between Zayn and Otis who is conflicted over his loyalty to Gable.

Prediction and analysis: It is past time for Otis to steel himself and bail on Gable, leading to Zayn retaining. It is possible that Otis helps Gable win, and they stretch the Otis/Gable angle longer in order to sett up Otis winning the title eventually, hoping for a bigger payout, but it will be difficult for fans to stay behind Otis if he continues in the hapless victim role.

Bayley (c) vs. Piper Niven – WWE Women’s Championship match

Story in a nutshell: Bayley needed an opponent and Piper Niven is Scottish.

Chelsea Green and Piper Niven came after Bayley provoking Bayley into facing Green in a non-title match which Bayley won. Green and Niven upped the stakes by attacking Bayley. It was the announced that Bayley would face Niven at Clash at the Castle.

Prediction and analysis: Bayley retains though it’d be nice to see the former Viper win in front of her home crowd and be the badass she was in the indies way back when.

Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill (c) vs. Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn vs. Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark, WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Triple Threat match

Story in a nutshell: What was originally a WWE Women’s Championship match between Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill versus Shayna Basler and Zoey Stark on Raw, became a triple threat at Clash at the Castle when Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn interfered in the match.

And the above pretty much sums it up.

Prediction and analysis: Belair and Cargill “have this one in the bag” as the kids say.