Cody Rhodes has only faced Gunther once previously. (Credit: Rich Wade/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
WWE Clash In Italy 2026 is the company’s first-ever PLE in Italy, and oh boy, is it a big one.
The top two titles in all of WWE will be on the line as Raw’s Roman Reigns defends his World Heavyweight Championship against Jacob Fatu for the second time this month. On the SmackDown side, blue brand newcomer Gunther has set his sights on Cody Rhodes and the WWE Championship.
This will be the third major WWE event this month alone. At Backlash three weeks ago, Bron Breakker, Iyo Sky and Trick Williams all picked up notable victories. Then, last week at Saturday Night’s Main Event, Cargill, Penta and The Vision notched some big wins as well.
Now all sights are set on WWE Clash in Italy 2026 in Turin, where WWE will host five big matches that will have significant storyline ramifications.
WWE Clash In Italy 2026 Preview
Here is the full match card for WWE Clash in Italy 2026:
- WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Gunther
- World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
- Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
- WWE Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Jade Cargill
- Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Sol Ruca
Below are some key facts, notes and important stats for Clash in Italy:
- Gunther and Rhodes have faced each other just once, and that match took place at WWE Crown Jewel in 2024. Rhodes defeated Gunther, giving “The Ring General” a rare loss.
- Reigns beat Fatu at WWE Backlash earlier this month, but that match ended in controversial fashion after Reigns had smashed Fatu’s face into an exposed turnbuckle. Afterward, Fatu attacked Reigns and laid him out with the Tongan Death Grip.
- Reigns was actually originally scheduled to feud with Gunther after WrestleMania, but WWE pivoted to Fatu vs. Reigns and Gunther vs. Rhodes.
- Lesnar is widely expected to legitimately retire at SummerSlam following his faux retirement at WrestleMania 42, but that remains to be seen.
- WWE has announced that Rhodes vs. Gunther and Cargill vs. Ripley will air on the ESPN simulcast, which will broadcast the first hour of Clash in Italy.
WWE Clash In Italy 2026 Streaming Info
Date: Sunday, May 31st
Location: Inalpi Arena (Turin, Italy)
Start Time: 2 pm EST/1 pm CST (11 am PST)
Streaming Info: ESPN Unlimited (United States), Netflix (internationally)
WWE Clash In Italy 2026 Predictions
WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Gunther
As noted, Gunther vs. Rhodes is reportedly a creative audible due to a back injury to Randy Orton, who has been out since WrestleMania 42 but has refuted reports of an injury.
Orton, despite not being on TV for several weeks, could be the X-factor at WWE Clash in Italy. Does he return in Turin and cost Rhodes the WWE title? Does he cause a disqualification finish so that Rhodes retains? Does he not show up at all? Orton’s unseen presence looms large, making Gunther vs. Rhodes a difficult match to predict.
On one hand, Gunther shouldn’t lose to Rhodes so soon after moving to SmackDown. On the other, Rhodes and Orton still seem to have unfinished business after Orton punted Rhodes into oblivion at WrestleMania. Thus, Rhodes will probably leave Clash in Italy as WWE Champion, though it should take lots of twists and turns to get to that result.
Prediction: Rhodes
World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
The feud between Reigns and Fatu has created plenty of compelling programming on Raw since WrestleMania 42 last month, as Fatu has more than risen to the occasion in the biggest feud of his young career.
Had Reigns not just won the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 42, WWE Clash in Italy would be the opportune time to put the title on Fatu and make him a star. In fact, there is an argument to be made that Fatu still should win the World Heavyweight Championship in Italy.
But this is Reigns we’re talking about here. Though he’s likely not going to hold the World Heavyweight Championship for more than three years like he did the WWE Championship, it’s nearly impossibly to envision him dropping it so soon, even to a red hot star like Fatu.
Prediction: Reigns
Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
Brock Lesnar’s “retirement” sure didn’t last long, did it? After pulling a fast one and faking his retirement at WrestleMania 42 following a quick loss, “The Beast” is back for another match against “The Ruler.”
The long-running expectation is that Lesnar will retire at SummerSlam in front of his hometown fans in Minnesota, which suggests that his feud with Femi will be a trilogy. Femi, of course, got the first win at WrestleMania in what was a true star-making moment for arguably the hottest act in all of WWE.
What that suggests is that Lesnar is going to win the second match at WWE Clash in Italy, likely in cheap fashion. Though Lesnar rarely cheats to win, Femi isn’t going to lose clean. Instead, we should see Lesnar beat Femi after a low blow (or something similar) followed by an F5, leading to a third match at SummerSlam.
Prediction: Lesnar
WWE Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Jade Cargill
Ripley just won the WWE Women’s title from Cargill at WrestleMania 42 and is now being positioned as the face of SmackDown women’s division.
Less than two months after dethroning Cargill, Ripley is highly unlikely to lose that title so quickly. Instead, it’s more likely that Ripley will have a lengthy championship reign that perhaps even extends all the way into 2027. Still, Cargill is usually protected even in losses, so a clean would for Ripley would be surprising.
One logical finish would be Michin and/or B-Fab attempting to help Cargill only to inadvertently cost her the match. Regardless, of all the bouts on the WWE Clash in Italy card, Ripley vs. Cargill is the easiest to predict.
Prediction: Ripley
Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Sol Ruca
Sol Ruca, a recent NXT call-up, has had a bit of a rocky start on Raw, highlighted by multiple botched Sol Snatcher finishing moves and some big losses.
But over the past few years, Lynch has done a great job of elevating new talents, and she should do the same with Ruca. In fact, one could argue that it’s time for Lynch to move back into the main event and world title picture, which necessitates an Intercontinental title loss in the near future.
Despite some early struggles, Ruca is a tremendous talent, and at WWE Clash in Italy, she should get back on track with an IC title win, though Lynch certainly enters that bout as the clear favorite.
Prediction: Sol Ruca
