9/27 WWE CLASH OF CHAMPIONS KICKOFF SHOW REPORT: Cesaro & Nakamura vs. Lucha House Party for the Smackdown Tag Team Titles, Nikki, Jax, and Baszler not medically cleared

WWE CLASH OF CHAMPIONS KICKOFF REPORT
SEPTEMBER 27, 2020
WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Kickoff Panel: Booker T, Charly Caruso, JBL, Pete Rosenberg

During his introduction, Booker T gave a shout out to T-Bar, and Charly asked if Booker could protect the panel from Retribution. Booker erupted into laughter multiple times.

Charly provided breaking news that Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, and Nikki Cross were not medically cleared tonight, so their matches will not take place. She confirmed that Bayley is in the building.

After the Reigns family video package, we were back with the panel. Booker said that tonight’s Reigns vs. Jey Uso match has the capability to tear their family apart. Peter said he saw Jey Uso earlier today, and said there was a “different energy” about him. JBL recalled when the Usos were new and he was on commentary, and remarked on their talent. Booker wouldn’t make a prediction on the outcome, but said he was pulling for Jey.

Kayla was in the Champion’s Lounge with tag champs Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura. Cesaro said their victory was guaranteed tonight because Lucha House Party cannot coexist. Nakamura said he and Cesaro were like Simon & Garfunkel, and sang the first line from the 1965 folk single “The Sound of Silence.”

A clip from Raw Talk was shown with Apollo Crews discussing his match against Bobby Lashley. The panel concluded that while Crews seems like a friendly family man, none of that matters in the pursuit of a championship. The panel interviewed MVP remotely. He said that Crews is not in the way of the Hurt Business, and that “business is booming.” Booker asked MVP how the “undersized” Cedric Alexander fits into the Hurt Business. MVP said Alexander has the qualifications needed to fit in, and that he “sees very big things” for him. MVP said that he is the executive vice president and managing partner for the Hurt Business, and that Lashley is the CEO. When asked about Retribution, MVP said there is a plan for dealing with that faction.

R-Truth approached the panel with a sifting tool containing the 24/7 belt; he was dressed as a gold rush frontiersman. Various bits of nonsense were spouted.

Garza and Andrade were interviewed backstage by Alyse. Regarding Vega’s departure, Garza said it’s good to “play the field” and that Vega was responsible for problems they’d been having. The wrestlers finished each other’s sentences in a contrived fashion, then went on to explain that they finish each other’s sentences. Garza made eyes at Alyse, but she held her ground and did not swoon.

Announcers: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

(1) LUCHA HOUSE PARTY (Kalisto & Lince Dorado w/ Gran Metalik) vs. CESARO & SHINSUKE NAKAMURA

Cesaro overpowered Dorado early on, but Dorado soon turned the tide with a head scissor takedown and drop kick. Kalisto tagged in splashed Cesaro off of Dorado’s shoulders. Kalisto maneuvered onto Cesaro’s back with a sleeper hold, but Cesaro smashed him into the turnbuckles. Dorado tagged in and hit a missile drop kick, which led to a dazed Cesaro tagging n Nakamura.

Nakamura caught a big boot in the corner, but then knocked Dorado off the top rope to the floor. Nakamura hit a knee strike to Dorado’s face on the apron, then got back into the ring. Cesaro tagged in and laid in kicks and punches to Dorado. He leveled Dorado with a forearm strike, then covered for a two-count.

Nakamura tagged in and kicked Dorado three times in the shoulder before pinning for two. He gave Dorado “good vibrations” in the corner, then kicked at Dorado’s head against the ropes. He snap mared Dorado to the mat and dropped a knee before covering for another two-count. Cesaro tagged in and applied a modified camel clutch, twisting Dorado’s mask. Dorado broke free and took Cesaro down with a sunset bomb, but Cesaro came right back with a strong front kick and covered for two.

Nakamura tagged in and set up Dorado on the top ropes, but Dorado dodged when Nakamura charged. This allowed Dorado to hit a high cross body. Both men writhed on the mat while Kalisto clapped on the corner. Nakamura got to Cesaro first, and Cesaro sprinted across the ring to knock Kalisto off the apron. They continued to punish Dorado in their own corner with double team action. Nakamura tagged back in and made another pin attempt, then laid in knee strikes to Dorado’s ribs. Meanwhile, Kalisto hazily climbed back up onto the apron.

Dorado finally managed to escape Cesaro’s clutches and tagged in Kalisto who came in at full speed. He landed a lucha-style DDT to Cesaro, and Nakamura had to run in to break up a pin attempt. Dorado entered the ring and gave Nakamura a back stabber. Kalisto and Dorado double teamed Cesaro at ringside to hit a tornado DDT. Back in the ring, Kalisto and Dorado took turns landing moonsaults to Cesaro. Kalisto covered Cesaro for two.

Kalisto reached out for a tag, but Nakamura appeared and tore Dorado from the apron and tossed him over the barricade. Nakamura tagged in and Cesaro began to swing Kalisto in circles. Nakamura hit the Kinshasa to the moving target, then covered for the three-count.

WINNERS: Cesaro & Nakamura by pinfall in 10:50.

(Meyers’s Analysis: Above-average tag match with some very flash spots. The story of the match was the heels keeping the faces separated, and in that, they maintained dominance. Most surprising is that there was no dissension among Lucha House Party. Metalik was present at ringside but was uninvolved.)