Who will rule the castle?
WWE will hold another international premium live event, this time in Scotland for the first time in company history with Clash at the Castle. Five matches are scheduled to take place inside OVO Hydro, and they’ll all be for championship gold. Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles will once again face each other for the Undisputed WWE Championship after their instant classic at Backlash France.
There will be several Scottish stars in action Saturday, headlined by Drew McIntyre competing for the World Heavyweight Championship. European crowds have gained a reputation of being among the best in WWE, and it is expected to be another rowdy atmosphere.
Follow USA TODAY Sports for all the action from Glasgow:
The champions showcased their power early in the match as they’ve been accustomed to doing, with Belair taking control of Baszler and Dawn, and then Cargill dominating Stark and Fyre before both of them unleashed a punishing assault. Realizing they were overmatched, the challengers teamed up to attack the champions, which was a success.
With Belair and Cargill out, the challengers went blow-for-blow and the crowd clearly was rooting for the natives of Fyre and Dawn. Once Belair and Cargill came in, it was a frenzy with shots all over. Belair and Cargill looked like they were about to win after the power combo on Baszler, but Dawn snuck in to get rid of Cargill and she got the pin to become new champions.
Analysis: This was a stunner. For as cool as it would’ve been for the Scotland natives to win, Belair and Cargill have been such a powerful force that it didn’t seem realistic for them to lose the titles. But with it a triple threat match, it made it a perfect opportunity for the champions to be snuck up on and someone else capitalize on the moment. The reaction to Fyre and Dawn getting the win was amazing from the crowd, and it was a sweet moment seeing them celebrate with family and get their flowers in their home country. A spectacular moment for a team that didn’t have much going on prior to Clash at the Castle, and hopefully they’ll get a solid run as champions.
We may know who Cody Rhodes’ next challenger is, and it could be someone he’s very familiar.
After beating AJ Styles, Rhodes celebrated, only for Solo Sikoa to come out for a tense face-off. Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga came out to unleash an assault on the champion, but Kevin Owens and Randy Orton came to the aid of the champion. They were able to hold off The Bloodline, but it seems like Rhodes is headed toward another encounter with the family.
The crowd brought the electricity and made it clear it was rooting for the champion. Rhodes started the match on offense, took it outside of the ring and into the stadium hallways before the action returned to the ring. Rhodes tried a figure four lock in the first significant attempt to get someone to quit, but Styles was able to get out.
Styles then took control when he bounced Rhodes off the announcer’s table, and Rhodes was cut wide open on his face with blood coming out above his left eyebrow. Styles landed a knee drop on the chair wrapped on Rhodes head and then brought out the kendo stick to lay more punishment. Styles continued the onslaught after he used an STF on the champion by handcuffing Rhodes’ hands behind his back and unloading a ruthless attack. Each time Rhodes denied to say “I Quit,” the crowd would erupt in cheer.
After Styles got distracted with Rhodes’ mom, which included her slapping the star, Rhodes recovered and threw a chair when Styles tried a phenomenal forearm, which also cut the challenger. Rhodes landed three cross Rhodes and handcuffed Styles to the ropes as he relentlessly pelted him with the chair. Styles didn’t quit, but when Rhodes brought the steel steps into ring, Styles understood it would get uglier and said “I Quit.” Rhodes retained, but just for good measure, he hit Styles with the steel steps anyway for all the disrespect he took, and while the challenger laid in defeat, he stood on top of the steps in victory.
Analysis: The two had a hard act to follow from their first meeting, but this rematch delivered. The electricity from the crowd really added to the aura in this meeting, and there were some solid spot that gave it a unique spin on the punishment that happens during a “I Quit” match. The ending of the match was a really intriguing spot because it showed Rhodes can turn on another switch that turns him into a daunting, ruthless champion instead of being the babyface star everyone loves. It’s still hard to imagine Rhodes losing the title at any point in the near future, but his matches are doing a good job of presenting believable moments and making his reign legitimate.
The crowd is already off to an electric start. The Undisputed WWE Champion made his entrance and the crowd erupted, singing “Kingdom” much like the crowd at Backlash France.
When is Clash at the Castle 2024?
Clash at the Castle 2024 will be Saturday, June 15 at 2 p.m. ET. The event will begin at 7 p.m. local time.
Where is Clash at the Castle 2024?
Clash at the Castle will be taking place in Glasgow, Scotland. It will be held in the OVO Hydro.
How to watch Clash at the Castle 2024
The event can be streamed on Peacock, but you must have their premium or premium-plus subscription to watch. Internationally, it will be available on WWE Network.
Clash at the Castle 2024 match card
Matches not in order
- “I Quit” match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. AJ Styles.
- World Heavyweight Championship match: Damian Priest (c) vs. Drew McIntyre.
- WWE Women’s Championship match: Bayley (c) vs. Piper Niven.
- Intercontinental Championship match: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable.
- Triple threat match for the Women’s Tag Team Championship: Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill (c) vs. Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler vs. Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn.
- “I Quit” match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Cody Rhodes def. AJ Styles.
- World Heavyweight Championship match: Drew McIntyre def. Damian Priest.
- WWE Women’s Championship match: Bayley def. Piper Niven.
- Intercontinental Championship match: Sami Zayn def. Chad Gable.
- Triple threat match for the Women’s Tag Team Championship: Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill def. Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler vs. Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn.
Scotland will be well represented when the first WWE premium live event takes place in the country. Drew McIntyre is the most notable star from the country, but three other Scottish natives will be in action on Saturday.
Piper Niven, Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn are from Scotland, and Dawn is from Glasgow.
Piper Niven will likely get the home crowd during her WWE Women’s Championship match against Bayley, but the champion is also expected to get love from the European fans.
When Bayley has gone to Europe, fans serenade her with a chant based off the 1961 song “Hey Baby” by Bruce Channel. The chant goes:
“Hey Bayley, ooh aah. I wanna know, if you’d be my girl.”
Laura Davis is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Broadway, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
