WWE is stacking the ESPN portion of Clash in Italy with two of the company’s biggest championship matches.
Michael Cole announced that Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther for the Undisputed WWE Championship and Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship will air on ESPN during the first hour of Clash in Italy on Sunday, May 30.
After that opening hour wraps up, the rest of the Premium Live Event will move over to ESPN Unlimited. That means WWE is putting some of its biggest stars front and center for the nationally televised portion of the show before shifting the remainder of the card to the streaming platform.
Cody Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther is already one of the biggest matches WWE has booked internationally this year, while Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill gives the ESPN audience another marquee title bout featuring two of WWE’s top women’s stars.
The current lineup for Clash in Italy includes Roman Reigns defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Jacob Fatu in a Tribal Combat Match, Becky Lynch defending the Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Sol Ruca, and Oba Femi battling Brock Lesnar.
With WWE choosing Cody Rhodes, Gunther, Rhea Ripley, and Jade Cargill for the ESPN portion of the event, it’s pretty clear the company wants the strongest possible first impression for viewers before the show moves fully onto streaming.
Do you think WWE picked the right matches for the ESPN broadcast portion of Clash in Italy? Leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.
