You never get a second chance to make a first impression, which may explain why WWE’s first-ever premium live event from Italy, featuring four title matches and a WrestleMania rematch between hosses, looks like a must-see show.
But for many of the stars competing next Sunday, each showdown in Turin is also a must-win.
Tribal Combat for the World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
It’s only their second encounter, and WWE is already doing a gimmick match: Tribal Combat.
Translation: this is it for Jacob Fatu. He’ll be out of luck and out of title contention with a loss.
Defeat also means he’ll have to acknowledge Reigns as his Tribal Chief. But with Reigns mostly fighting his own battles, it’s not clear how Fatu might fit into Reigns’ current version of the Bloodline, making his immediate future murky.
Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Gunther
The reality is simple: If Cody Rhodes loses, he’ll likely get umpteen chances to get his title back as he did after dropping the strap to Drew McIntyre in January. He is, after all, WWE’s “Golden Boy.”
Gunther doesn’t share that label, but it’s clear he’s a big deal. He tapped out John Cena, retired AJ Styles, and beat Seth Rollins at WrestleMania. WWE doesn’t give those kinds of wins away to just anyone.
Still, a decisive loss to Rhodes can quickly send Gunther’s momentum to hell in a handbasket, forcing WWE to start over with him.
WrestleMania Rematch: Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
While the sequel to their WrestleMania 42 match should be entertaining, it makes what fans initially saw — the making of the next big thing, and Lesnar’s tearful (and now, phony) goodbye — less special.
Femi, who already got over like gangbusters after crushing Lesnar once, would simply keep his push going with another win.
But a loss? Long-term, it won’t change Femi’s trajectory. Still, a sudden defeat on his way to the top could dull his shine with fans.
As for Brock, a win would extend this to a trilogy. WWE could still run a third match with a Lesnar loss, but it would be to diminishing returns, especially for Femi, who looked like a soon-to-be world title challenger immediately after Mania.
WWE Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Jade Cargill
At this point, Rhea Ripley is stain-resistant. No matter how many times she loses, fans still back her. Like Rhodes, she’ll also be in the title picture again in no time.
For Cargill, the opposite of a crowd favorite, a loss sends her to the back of the line of a surging SmackDown women’s division. It may also read like WWE has lost faith in Cargill, whether or not it’s true, as fans continue to question her development.
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Sol Ruca
It’s been a rough go for Sol Ruca since coming to WWE’s main roster in April. She’s 1-3 in the big time, but that’s not the full story.
In key moments, she screwed up her finishing move, the Sol Snatcher. Against Iyo Sky, Sky’s simple but brilliant counter to Ruca’s finish showed how easy it is to turn calamity into victory. At Saturday Night’s Main Event, Ruca couldn’t even turn into a flip as she took out referee Jessika Carr after Lynch put Carr in harm’s way.
Perhaps it’s bad luck, performance anxiety, or maybe Ruca just isn’t ready for this stage. Regardless, her winning the title here could prove to be “too much, too soon” and a booking mistake if her slip-ups continue.
Similarly, another loss might signal a loss in confidence in Ruca behind the scenes, which could bleed over into the arena and how fans see her.
Of all the superstars at Clash, Ruca is the only one who might be in a no-win situation.
Clash In Italy takes place Sunday, May 31, live at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy, beginning at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT on the ESPN App with an ESPN Unlimited plan in the United States and on Netflix internationally. Additionally, fans can catch the action at select movie theaters, with tickets available through Fandango.
